Master of Corruption
by RahXephon
Summary: After a series of events following the Third Impact, I ended up in a new reality. A reality filled with brutality, conflict, and evil. Empires rose while tribes were falling. It was in this eternal chaos that I have become the Master of Corruption.
1. The Master's Awakening

**IMPORTANT:** This fanfic is connected with Sesshy's Girl 00's fanfic **Mistress of Tyranny** ( StoryID: 3188988 ). To properly enjoy this fanfic, you should read the other one too. Check out my favourites in my profile to access it.

* * *

_**Master of Corruption**_

_The Master's Awakening_

_By RahXephon and Sesshy's Girl 00_

* * *

"Farewell, mother."

I rejected instrumentality. At least, I thought it was. They may have refused me. What world is this? Where is my happiness? What will happen to me? But all these questions and more didn't reach my mind at all. I was in a state of shock, confusion, and emptiness. This was reality. This sea of reddish transparent liquid, the blood that flows from the giant white head in front of me, it was all real. I did not get scared, and I did not get sad, noticing the massive injuries on Ayanami's head. I knew she was there, back in the sea, somehow. Did she disappear?

"…"

There were no coherent thoughts in me. I was a jellyfish. I floated around in the sea for minutes, without purpose and without meaning. The people, everyone… just helped me get around. They made me float, the sent me back to the shore. But for what purpose? They hated me; they didn't understand me. No one understands me… not even Ayanami. They had no reason to help me. They should have just pulled me down and suffocate me. But no, they rather want me to die slowly. I hated them, the people. They lied and betrayed me for no reason at all. I gave them my virtue, but all they did is throw it on the ground and trample on it like a bug. I gave them this world without barriers, without hate, lies, and pain. It was simply painful. They all betrayed me once again. But still,

Ayanami, thank you.

When they washed me against the hard grains of sand, I laid around endlessly, for a while. I thought about the people who were now part of that pool. I thought about Kaworu-kun, Ayanami, Father, Mother, and Asuka… Asuka, she rejected me. She hated me, after all I had done to try and please her. I gave her my heart, but rather than cherishing it, she destroyed it. Did she feel repressed? Hah, she was just mean. When I looked back at what happened, I could see nothing but pain. Asuka, how can I understand you when you don't tell me anything? How can you say I'm selfish and conceited when you don't look and appreciate all the things I've done for you this past year? Asuka . . . why can't I have you? I still don't understand…

"She said…"

My lips moved against the surface of the sand as I tried to retrace her words in that fated train during Instrumentality. _If I can't have all of you, then I don't want you!_ Asuka, I never did anything wrong! You can have me.. you can have all of me! After all I had been through, I still didn't understand a thing. I didn't understand people, I didn't understand myself, and I didn't understand Asuka. I was such a stupid boy. I was foolish, and I shed a few tears at that thought. No one wanted me.. no one had any use for me.

For the following hour, I behaved mechanically. My mind bled for Misato, who's cross I had been holding all this time. But I wasn't fully conscious, I wasn't fully aware. I made a grave for Misato. There were wrecks of wooden boats all around, and some even had clothes and bones in it. I crudely battered the white cross onto the wood. I stood by, helpless and stupid, emotionless but remorseful. I saw her, Misato. Was she watching me right now? Did she and all the others look at me, staring motionless in front of her grave? Misato, isn't this a fine grave? I saw you, you know. I saw the real you, the reflection of you. I saw your hidden side, together with Kaji. Misato, why did you show me that? Why did you . . .ruin me? Like all the others, it was another betrayal.

I turned around without a single thought. She betrayed me, so why should I care for her. I loved you, Misato. I hate you, Misato. I walked for hours and hours. I looked down, onto the red and yellow soaked sand, because it was the least painful sight for me. If I were to look left of me, I would see the ruins, the clothes, and the bones of what used to be Tokyo-3. If I were to look in the opposite direction, I would see grotesque beings with Ayanami's face carved onto them. These white, crucified monsters… I hate them, since they betrayed me too. The sand was soothing, somewhat. To feel reality firmly was great. For today, I had enough nightmares.

When exhaustion finally overwhelmed my legs with pain, I fell down. It was rather unpleasant to lie down with your face against the sand, so I turned around. The sky was so beautiful. Was it night? I could see the moon behind a red line that looked like a stream of blood. The moon was as milky white as Ayanami, as Kaworu-kun, as the monsters in the Sea. I did not think about Ayanami, I did not think about Kaworu-kun, and I did not think about the monsters either. I was at peace, I was in reality, but I was alone. Nothing could hurt me. This wasn't a dream.. this wasn't running away. I was facing up to reality, finally. This was the solution they gave me . . . It was perfect.

For some reason, my head rolled down to the side. Was it out of exhaustions, or was it because I knew something? On the red shore, I saw her again. Ayanami, in her uniform, was standing on top of the surface. Before I actually acknowledged her, she was already gone. It was a dream, an illusion. This was all fake. I raised myself up, since I didn't want to be near the LCL anymore. I looked around in the city, for a place to be alone with.

Asuka.

Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed something. I lowered my eyeballs, and to my astonishment it was really Asuka. Was she real? Was she rejected by them too, like I was? But I didn't think much of it. I hate you, Asuka. You rejected me, you hurt me, and you said mean things about me. I'm not a pervert, I don't think you're meat! Please don't lie to me! Asuka was rigid. Did she even knew I was here? I was already moving before I decided. I wanted her to be gone. Make her disappear. In instrumentality, she utterly destroyed me. She pushed me around far too much. I just wanted to kill her. And I did it too, in instrumentality. That she appeared to me, alive it seemed, was just a chance for me to do the same thing twice. She had die.

I leaned over her and brought my hands around her soft and supple neck. How I had wished to touch it many times. She was so alluring. But now, she had to die. I'm sorry Asuka, I'm sorry I can't do anything about it. I was killing someone, but I never wanted to kill anyone. Why did I have to do this? I love you, Asuka.. I love you! Even though you turned me away, I still can't help but have feelings for you. I cried.. the sobs were pathetic, just like me. I was doing what I wanted, but it was not what I wanted. I hate you, Asuka, for making me this way. I hate you!

I resolved myself from my chaotic mind and focused a bit more on the pressure. I pressed deeper, with all my strength. Her uncovered eye was unresponsive. She never acknowledged me. She hated me. I could see it in her stare. But did she? I was sad, I was very sad. I was so alone.. it was so painful. It didn't have to be like this, Asuka. I didn't want to be alone. I was doing exactly that, making myself alone. I had been alone for all of my life. I shifted through several of my memories. Painful memories, miserable memories.. not a single one of them a happy one.

Asuka, help me! Don't leave me alone!

Caress. What . . .? Huh . . .? My sobs stopped. My eyes were as wide as ever. Asuka? She felt so warm in this desolate world. My mind grinded, this was too unexpected. What happened? I was confused while I was enjoying her touch. I forgot why I needed to kill her. I forgot her insults, her kicks, and her abuse. Just her, that absurd stare she wore. This was all too crazy. I didn't deserve her. I want you, Asuka! Why reject me. I cried, I cried even more. I was so alone.. I was so much in pain. That she was right in front of me made no sense at all. I need her. She already lowered her hand. I missed it. I cried even more, I wanted more of it, but I rejected it. I was so foolish . . .

"I feel sick."

I'm sorry, Asuka, for making you do all this. I'm sorry for what I've done to you. I cried more, never minding my tears plastered on her face. Time passed while I cried out of everything good, everything miserable, and everything stupid. Was this the truth? Was this the future of mankind? My heart bled so much. Kaworu-kun, you liar. I cried even more. These contradictions, this ambiguity that dominated my life, how can I escape it? How can I make it end? Asuka, tell me, how can this suffering end?

"…"

She didn't do anything.

"Asuka… help me . . ."

"…"

Nothing… absolutely no response at all. What was wrong with her? I asked her to help me, and all I received was nothing. She didn't acknowledge me. She didn't hear me at all, probably. The little salty pool on her face could have been urine for all she cared. My tears stopped coming. I wanted to cry more, but I was so much in mental pain. Everyone betrayed me. Everyone hated me. I needed to get away, I decided. I couldn't help her, but I couldn't kill her either. How could this torture end!

I walked - no, crawled away from her in a frantic pace. I tripped and fell many times, no thanks to my exhausted legs, but I still wanted to be away from her. I looked back several times and was relieved that she hadn't moved. I crawled and crawled, getting more and more sand in my drenched uniform. I reached the shore, but still I continued on. I wanted to be safe, away from Asuka, away from everything. I ran in the Sea, mindless of any consequences attached to it. When I couldn't touch the beach anymore, I still… moved away. I couldn't swim, but that didn't deter me at all.

The liquid wrapped around me, toyed with me. First, it brought me further away from the shore, away from safety. Then, it lowered its buoyancy, making me unable to stay above the surface for long. I lost it; I absolutely lost it. I panicked and my thoughts were brought into disarray even more. No! I didn't want to go back to them. Why would they want me! What did I do to deserve this! I was completely submerged by now. Strangely, I expected to be welcomed back by their arms. But as the liquid routinely slipped in my lungs, I received a sharp and massive pain. I couldn't breathe! They took it away! There was no oxygen.. was I going to drown!

"Blblrarlral …"

Help me, Asuka! Save me! But I couldn't speak anything, since there was no air left in me. In my desperation, I even strangled myself out of instinct, somehow hoping to get some air in me. But it was all in vain. The pain fell away, my limbs were no longer in my control, and the sky grew darker and darker. I felt… content. Was I finally getting my peace? I was not afraid of death anymore. There was only misery in reality, in life. No longer will anyone ridicule me, and no longer will anyone shun me. As my consciousness faded away, my lips turned into a smile. Even my unconscious mind wanted to die… how strange.

* * *

Whiteness. Again I ended up in this eternal white world. I looked to the left and right, but only saw the same sight. I looked down, to gaze at my body, only to learn that I didn't have a body. What . . . was happening to me? Was death always so elegant, so empty?

I was nothing. I was a ghost.

I was still myself, still an individual.

Was this going to be like this for the rest of my.. existence?

NO!

NO!

NO!

NONONO!

"I DON'T WANT THIS!"

What!

I could speak, and I could feel the surface under my feet. My feet? I looked down and I saw I miraculously had a body! I looked back up to see a simple plastic folding chair in front of me.

What…?

What was the meaning of this?

Despite Instrumentality and Asuka, I still had some sense in me to approach the chair and sit on it.

Was something going to happen?

It was so empty here, in this world. There was nothing around but this stupid chair.

So empty,

So lonely.

"_Was this not what you have wanted?_"

"AAAAhh!"

What was that!

"_Your desire._"

That voice, where did it come from! My spun left and right to find the person who said that. Nothing, nothing! I tried to raise myself from the chair, but I found that I could not move my legs.

Why!

"Who are you?"

"_I am I_."

I didn't know what was happening! Help me, someone, HELP! I frantically tried to move away from the chair, but I seemed to be glued on it. I shook my body left and right, I even tried to make myself fall, but the chair wouldn't budge. I closed my eyes and covered my head. Stop… please…

"Stop…"

I cried, I cried out of misery. Was I nothing but a toy for everything? Even death would not leave me alone. I was so pathetic..

I sobbed and sobbed. The tears would never end.

I never ran out of tears. I never ran out of reasons to cry either.

I felt so cold, so alone. The emptiness was pure agony.

Stop…

* * *

I woke up. Somehow, I dozed off… could people even sleep when they're dead? I looked around me, but there was nothing different. It was the same whiteness as ever. I tried to move, but the chair wouldn't let me get off. It was the same. It was all the same… a prison.

"_Was this not your paradise?_"

"Wha-what!"

I looked back up and saw someone.. or something in front of me. It was a pool of shapeless LCL, morphing, changing.

"_This is what you want, am I not correct?_"

"Kaworu-kun! I-I… that's not right! I don't want this at all!"

Kaworu-kun, as the shape revealed itself as, smiled. Was it a wicked smile, was he pleasured by my terror? Or was it just his own strange way of smiling?

"_This is reality._"

"No! This isn't! It's hell!"

"_Is this not your heaven?_"

I still didn't know what he was talking about. I didn't understand anything!

"I hate this, I hate this! Please Kaworu-kun, just get me out of here.."

"_Shinji-kun, this is your world. This is the reality you desired._"

"NO! . . . No… I hate this.."

"Baka Shinji! You are so selfish!"

"Asuka?"

The person in front of me wasn't Kaworu-kun anymore, but rather Asuka! What was this? What was happening!

"It's always Shinji this, Shinji that! You're so stupid! Pick the _right_ choice next time!"

Was this really Asuka? She looked so.. real. I wanted her; I wanted her to help me. Asuka, help me! I just-

"Asuka, help me!"

"NO! I hate you!"

She.. hates me? It should have been no surprise to me, but still, to hear it from her so bluntly, so forceful… I was shattered. Absolutely shattered. The only reason why I didn't cry was because I was too tired to do it. I just lowered my head and slumped my body. There was nothing left for me. There was no reason to continue this one-sided game. I was tired. I was alone.

I was just loveless…

"Shinji-kun…"

"Mother…"

My heart lifted. The sound of my mother's voice pushed away all the unpleasant thoughts aside. There she was in her lab coat. She smiled to me, like she used to do when she was still alive. I couldn't help but smile back.

"Mother…"

"Shinji-kun, be strong."

"But I can't.. what do I have to do… How can I get out of here . . .?"

"This is your world. You don't want to leave."

"But I do, I do want to get out of here! Mother, help me, take me away from this place!"

"**Shinji-kun, stop begging.**"

"Father!"

What was my father doing here! Where was my mother! I wanted my mother back!

"**Shinji-kun, be strong. Support yourself with your own feet.**"

"But how could I do that, father.. I need help.."

"**You do need no other help than your own. Come, support yourself.**"

"I can't . . . father."

I hugged myself, for no obvious reason. Even though my father said all that, I still couldn't do anything. I hate him.

I want to get out..

I want to get out.

I WANT TO GET OUT!

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHH!"

With strength I never knew I had, or because of some other unexplainable reason, I managed to raise myself from the chair. I became so surprised I fell forward and crashed against the floor. It hurt so much! I held my hands against my face to stop the pain. It hurt, it hurt..

"**Good job, Shinji-kun.**"

"What - what do you mean . . .?"

"**You have rejected your reality, on your own.**"

"Just because of the chair?"

"**There is a price, however.**"

"What do you mean, father?"

"_Your old world has transcended. Your reality is destroyed. Your being is none._"

"Ayanami!"

What was Ayanami Rei doing here? Where was father? Was this thing really Ayanami or father, or was it a monster?

"_The one you call Ayanami is not I. The one you call Ayanami is nowhere, and everywhere._"

"Where is she, then . . .?"

"_You must be in a reality for you to exist. However, your first reality has transcended, therefore, it is inaccessible. Your second reality has been destroyed by your own doing._"

"Where do I go, Ayanami?"

"_You present us a dilemma with your existence. There are two possible conclusions from this situation. We have decided upon a path for you._"

"What path? And what is the other. . .?"

"_A third reality. A reality that does not belong to you, nor is it meant to accommodate you. This is your only choice, because we deem it so._"

"What! Who are you, really? Are there more of you!"

"_Silence, brother . . ._"

She approached me swiftly and laid her hand on my eyes. Warmth spread over my eyes, making them tired instantly. I fell and I slumped against her liquid body. Her structure didn't have enough substance to hold me as I fell to the ground. I lost consciousness after that. I was simply stunned and paralysed. But it had not been unpleasant. The white, smooth floor was very soothing…

* * *

Nothing could prepare me for what was to happen to me. I had not imagined such events would ever be possible. What did I do wrong? I asked that question to myself many times, but no definite answer would come up to me. This was a mystery shrouded behind bars, forever untouchable for me. When I looked back at these events, there was nothing really that I could have done better. At least, that was what I told myself many times. I ruined it maybe, but I refused to think so. What was important was that I had a chance, another chance to make things right. It did not matter how cruel or how impossible it was, I had not given up yet. What am I saying right now? These things didn't matter.

For the umpteenth time I woke up. This time, it was not a cool, solid surface that touched against my lips. No, it was sand. Sand? I immediately opened my eyes, expecting the impressive sight of the red sea, the ruins of Tokyo-3, and the terrible white monsters. Instead, there was nothing of that sort at all! I rubbed my eyes and slowly raised myself to my feet.

Where was I? The air.. it was different. I could feel it, smell it. Vast mountains around an arid landscape surrounded me. There were only a few spots of trees and grass around me, but the dominant feature was just.. sand and rocks. Everything was so.. so colourful, but also so powerful. This open landscape was so different. The air tasted dry. There was none of the humidness of Tokyo-3, none of the sub-tropical climate. I was somewhere else, somewhere foreign. I was in another world.

I was in another reality, I knew. It was just like they told me. But what was my purpose here? I looked around, left and right. Nothing. I turned around, still nothing. Where was I? Was I alone?

Alone?

I didn't care much anymore. I was tired of thinking. I had so much misery, so much pain. I needed to rest, and to wash my dirty LCL drained clothes. I looked around some more in detail, searching for shelter or water. Further down the rugged plains were some patches of green. I could even spot some tall trees around. Having nothing else to do, I started to walk. I did not know where the energy came from, nor did I know why I wasn't thirsty. Whatever happened to me, I had no control over it. And I hated it. I hated not being able to steer my own course. But these were of no concerns right now. I had to reach the oasis. I had to have something.

The walk took much longer than I thought. The mountains were all so tall and majestic like the towering skyscrapers of Tokyo-3. Their height affected my perception and judgement. Instead of ten or twenty minutes, it took maybe an hour to reach it. This area, this bowl-shaped territory surrounded by the massive carvings of rock, was simply huge. How could a world like this exist? It was by then that I took notice of the sky. It was a magnificent sight, one I didn't have enough time to appreciate fully, but I still took notice of it. The stars were bright, brighter than the skies I've grown up to at my childhood town. But that was not the main reason why the sky was such a marvel.

Rather, it was a huge… a huge 'moon', if that was what you could call it that dominated the heavens. The size of it must have been at least ten times bigger, or at least much closer to this planet than the moon in my own world. It shone as bright as my own, and it was littered with scars from the many impacts it endured. The most striking feature however was its shape. It was as if it was cut in half by a massive but elegant katana. The half sphere's shape was perfect, and the cut surface was very flat. This wasn't the result of a meteor strike. No, it was something unexplainable. How frightening was this reality?

I made my way to a small pond, if that was how you could call it. The water it contained was remarkably clear, as if it was an aquarium, rather than a source of water in this desert-plain-like environment. I looked around for lurking predators, but there were none. It was strange, since there wasn't even a single fly in this fertile area. Several trees, which resembled nothing I had seen in Japan, bore a small amount of some unrecognisable fruit. There were even flowers strewn around, but they were not of my concern.

After I approached the pond, I lowered myself to inspect it. It looked so peaceful, so eternal. There were no fish or any other life forms inside, which I found to be slightly strange. I looked around some more, if there was a sign of poison or pollution. Nothing, there was absolutely nothing suspicious. It was all much too suspicious, but I tired and disorientated. I did not have a proper rest after all that had happened. The weight of those people, the ones in the sea, it bore down on me. As I looked at my reflection, I was reminded again of the horrors.

Was I, and I alone, the cause of this? In my anger, in my confusion, I had dictated the lives of everyone to a new existence. I was pained, pained of what I had done and what I had experienced inside. Asuka, Misato, and all the rest played around with me, proclaimed their criticisms on me. Strong emotions whirled around me, but I suppressed them. I had cried too much to bring tears, but it was the calmness of this small paradise that sedated me. The smell of dry air mixed with the scent of flowers soothed me, relaxed me, and made me feel safe.

With no consideration at all, I cupped some fresh looking water and brought it closer to my face. As it seeped through my fingers, I couldn't help but be taken in by the sparkles. It was as if I was a child who discovered a secret cave. My heart lifted, and all the unpleasant things completely left my mind. With a careful smile, that of a gleeful child, I cupped again and quickly drank it empty. How fresh! It was as clear as bottled water. How could water so pure exist in nature? I lowered and submerged my head into the pond; both to drink from it and to simply enjoy the cleansing touch.

As I raised my head again, I decided to fill my stomach with some fruit. Some of my energy was replenished now, but I didn't want to sleep before having something for dinner. I couldn't even remember the last time I ate. I headed over to the other side of the oasis, to a small concentration of different brushes bearing fruit. They looked normal enough, like small peaches or mangos. It was much like the fruit I was used to. I approached, unworried and unaware of any danger around. The soil was remarkably soft. While the rest of the plains were dry and hard, the ground I was walking on was simply remarkable, like walking on a cushion. But the next step proved fatal.

I stepped on what seemed a cloth and fell! The drop was far, at least a story down, but most of all, it it came with an absolute surprise. I fell without realizing it, and crashed down so hard I immediately shrieked out.

"AAhhhhh! It hurts! AAAhh—"

I screamed out my agony. I rocked around, holding my left leg tightly. I squeezed myself as hard as I could. I did everything, everything I could to make the pain go away. I cried, I cried out of the sheer pain. Never have I felt so much pain except in the EVA. I kicked my other leg repeatedly against the walls of the pit, just to distract me. I was suffering so much, so much..

So much pain…

Why! How! After many minutes of holding myself in, I opened my eyes and looked around more closely. My leg still hurt extremely much, so I could barely concentrate on anything else. The leg didn't bleed, I think, but it might have been broken. This was not a simple sprain or bruise. It was far worse. I felt so much pain that I simply wanted to cut if off and be rid of it. Anything, I would do anything to rid myself of it.

As the pain became more and more bearable, I looked around some more. It was a pit, definitely dug out. Was it… an animal? Maybe a bear, or a tiger? No, it couldn't be. The pit was far too straight for it to be done by a mere animal. There was no leverage at all to climb out of it. The rough worn colour of the cloth I was laying under on was definitely handmade. It could hardly be called woven, as the strings were bound very loose together. All of these were signs of something, which were on one hand relieving, but on the other hand, very disconcerting.

There were people in this world.

People! Humans! I had not considered that any other human would live in this magical world. How would they look like? Will they kill me when they see me trapped here? I was scared, I was very scared. I worried about what might happen with me. Would I be retrieved from here, and used for forced labour? Or would I be toyed with, tortured around for fun? It made my head spin with worried anticipation. I did not want this, I did not want this at all!

Was there a way to destroy this reality? Like I did with the chair? I looked around to gaze at the brown walls of my prison and the giant split moon above me. No, this was too real for me to erase. I had no power at all. I was at their mercy. Nothing could free me. nothing could save me. I curled up again in a fetal position. I wanted to cry so much, but they didn't come. I had suffered too much, far too much. I wanted to go away from this nightmare, but I knew I couldn't. There was nothing left for me to do but wait. I rolled around a little to retrieve the fabric underneath me. I shook it around a little to clear out the sand, before wrapping it on me like a blanket. I wanted to sleep. I even wanted to die, just so I could escape this suffering. I was tired though, too tired to think up a way to end myself. But deep in my heart, I knew I had to stop avoiding my reality. There was nowhere left to hide…

This pain…

The suffering,

The helplessness.

Nowhere left to go,

And nothing left but my clothes.

Help me, please…

I asked for help several times, but I knew no one would come.

I was too pathetic.

I was too miserable, too worthless.

I tried to sleep. I tried to fend off these thoughts.

But they kept haunting me.

Misato, with her teasing display of her body, ever reminding me how inaccessible she was for me.

Rei, who hid her monstrous nature behind an innocent looking expression.

Asuka, Asuka…

Her torture,

Her fits of rage,

Her fists,

Her insults,

Her denials…

Everything,

EVERYTHING!

I COULDN'T STAND HER!

Go away, go away Asuka!

Don't hurt me!

Don't HURT ME!

I don't want you, and I don't need you!

What can I do to make you go away!

Stop haunting me Asuka!

IT HURTS! IT HURTS! GO AWAY!

"Aagghh.."

I want to punch you.. I want to strangle you… I just want you to go away!

"I HATE YOU!"

* * *

**Author's Notes:** Welcome to my new fic, dear readers. As you already might have noticed, I finally got a partner, Sesshy's Girl 00 ( UserID: 532093 ) , who's willing to do that collaboration effort with me. I don't know what will happen to my other two ongoing fics, but I'm definitely going to pursue this. Even though it's slower, and the communication isn't perfect, doing fics with another is much more fun. I know, I know, the story doesn't look very fantasy-like yet, but this is meant to be a thick book. It's going to be slow throughout the entire fic. Fantasy novels are never thin either. And don't worry that both our fics are just duplicates of each other. There is plenty of autonomy, and we're not discussing every single detail together. You don't have to follow both our fics, but it is highly recommended that you do. So please, be sure to read **Mistress of Tyranny** ( StoryID: 3188988 ) too! And thank you very much for reading this fic.

I have only one request to make to you readers. Please write a **review** for us. It can be anything, from a short encouragement to a lengthy flame. We don't care. Authors are addicted to reviews, and when they get swamped by it, we will turn into a writing factory. Please, be sure to drop a review before you go. It is as easy as pressing that purple-ish "Go" button at the bottom left. Also, if you have read both our fics, we would gladly appreciate it if you would review both of them. You don't have to, of course. I will thank you personally though, should you ever place a review. Once again, thank you very much for reading this chapter.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own the anime Neon Genesis Evangelion. I do not profit financially in any way from this work of fiction.


	2. The Master's Betrayal

**IMPORTANT:** This fanfic is connected with Sesshy's Girl 00's fanfic **Mistress of Tyranny**. To enjoy this fanfic properly, you should read my partner's fic too. Check out my favourites in my profile to access it.

* * *

_**Master of Corruption**_

_The Master's Betrayal_

_By RahXephon and Sesshy's Girl 00_

* * *

I woke up to the sound of rumbling. My eyes were still closed, but my body was shaking against a vibrating surface. After I pushed some of my drowsiness away, I knew I wasn't in the pit anymore. For one, I didn't feel any raw soil beneath me. Rather, I was laying on something hard and rough, like worn out wooden planks. No, this was definitely not the pit.

Where was I?

As my head started to clear up, I noticed the noise around me. There were wheels rolling beneath me. There were animals outside, cows or some sort, pulling squeaking carts. In addition, there were people talking around me...

People?

My eyes opened at that revelation! I bolted up, but quickly found out I did not have the energy to stay up for long. I fell back rapidly before I realized it. I bumped myself, but it didn't pain me enough to distract me from the impressive sight around me.

There were hundreds and hundreds of people around me outside. Beyond the crude wooden bars of my prison were hundreds of carts being driven forth by lumbering animals which looked like buffalo's. The most of them were black, and many attracted flies with their dirty hind. There were many kind of carts. Some of them were just like mine, and contained a few miserable looking people. Others looked more regular, completely closed by planks. I could even spot a few ones that were simply glamorous. They were painted in bright red, and were decorated with large stones or jewels. It was an impressive, but also a barbaric sight to behold.

Most of my attention was directed to the people around. The ones outside looked very Asian, and were very strangely dressed. They spoke a language I didn't know, but it sounded somewhat like Chinese. Every man carried weapons, usually spears spears. Some of them were even riding a horse. The horses didn't look very well though. They didn't look very big, and it didn't seem like they were well fed either. But the riders looked very impressive with their bright colorful uniforms. Unlike the most of the other men on foot, these… professional soldiers… were armored in scales of metal and wood. They were also the only ones who wore a solid helmet, instead of a fur hat. Most of the people outside were armed, but I also saw some women and children on or around the carts. They looked dirty and their expressions were miserable. What happened to them?

**BAM!**

A passing soldier suddenly punched against the wooden bars close to me, giving me the biggest shock of my life. I jumped away in surprise, right against someone else in the cart. I watched silently as the leather-clothed soldier moved on, laughing and sprouting some Chinese-like words.

"Boy, could you please move?"

I eeped a little and quickly jumped back to the other side, away from the man behind me. I turned around to see who he was. When I saw his condition, I became surprised again. He looked horrible! Bruises were plastered all over his face, and the rough brown rags that covered his body were soaked with blood. He looked beat up, or tortured. Was this… also going to be my fate? I became very afraid of that thought. I quickly looked around me, to see a few other men sleeping, harmless at least. They all looked similar to that man, from the slight beard that was developing on their chins, to the brownish muddy clothing that were not really clothes at all. I quickly look at myself, and finally noticed that my own clothes were replaced too! My school uniform was gone! Instead, I wore the same rags as the rest of them! I instantly felt uncomfortable, since I wasn't wearing underwear…

"Hey boy, what's your country?" the guy said with a gruff voice.

What did he mean? Weren't people supposed to ask my name first? And what should I answer?

"Uhmm… I stayed in the Kanto region the most... I think."

"So you're one of the Sons of Gold huh? You look softer than I thought. How rich are ya?"

"No! I'm not rich!"

What did he mean with all that? I didn't know anything of this world. Why were we speaking the same language? It was impossible! This wasn't the world I used to live in. It shouldn't have been possible for us to even understand each other.

"Don't lie to me, I know you're definitely not a soldier. You look too young and your hands are too soft, that's why! They're so smooth, I know some friends who would love to have them wrapped around their AOUCh OUCH OUCH!"

"Are you okay, mister!?"

He kept coughing and coughing, to the point he was spitting out some blood. He looked deeply pained, but he held his hand against me to stop me from coming near. I was deeply worried about him… Was he going to collapse? Or might he die? When I looked at him recover from his coughing fit, I couldn't help but notice the similarities between his beaten state and my entire life. We've been bullied, tortured, and secluded. Though I didn't know anything about these people at all, I felt that they were suffering just like people suffered in my old world. Humans were Just humans after all…

"Can I… help you?"

"I don't need help, I've had tougher than this…he he..."

What was it with him? He smiled, even though his mouth was all blistered and bloody. He could get an infection from just that wound alone! Over the next hour or so, we sat still in the rickety wooden cart, minding our own business. For me, I had spent the time contemplating about all that happened in the last few days. From the devastating battle at NERV, to the event which wiped out everyone I knew, and finally to the crazy episode that had landed me here. I thought about Asuka, of how much I loved and hated her. My feelings had calmed down during the whole time. It felt… strange. Was it because I forgot the reasons why I hate her? Was I forgetting her?

It seemed possible…

Already, memories of my daily life were fading. That idyllic peace in the classroom with our oblivious history teacher was already a faint memory. And Asuka, all of her abuse, her ranting, her arrogance... it would never fade from my mind, but I felt like it was. What was this effect doing to me? Everyone was fading from me, from the horrible memories of my father, to all the petty teasing Misato had done to me. I felt that these people were no longer personally connected with me. Rather, they were just... ones who I once knew from the past. I felt ashamed. I looked down at my palms, thinking about how I had brought so much destruction, and thinking of why I didn't feel guilty enough. If I already felt this distant just one or two days after it happened, what would it mean for me in the future?

But that is assuming, I would still live…

I looked at the other men in the cart, all lying around and sleeping. They looked very ragged and rude, but they were obviously soldiers. Did they speak Japanese too? And if the language existed here, did it mean Japan existed here? Certainly, the Kanto region existed. I wondered… wasn't this just the past? But that wasn't possible, since this was a new reality... right? I just didn't know, I didn't know anything. Ayanami… what did you do to me?

"Hey boy, he's coming again. One of the guards."

"What?"

I quickly turned around, scared someone might attack me, but all I saw was the same guard going through the carts and banging at the wooden bars. When he went over to my cart I had a brief exchange of stares. He noticed me, but he didn't react. He slammed his iron-tipped spear at the cart and then went on as usual. He seemed… relaxed. There was no discipline, no order, and no leaders in this moving tribe. Only the ones on horseback looked like real soldiers.

"You know what's going to happen to you?"

"Huh…?"

"Hahahaha- OUCH… You have it good, boy. At night, the leather armored Hmong boys like that guard that just passed will round up all the pretty boys and… have some fun with them. And I'm sure you're going to join up tonight. I've never seen such smooth skin. What are you doing here in Hmong territory?"

"I-I… I don't know! I don't remember. Please, tell me, where am I?"

"What? You're lying… You don't need to hide anything from me. Jus tell me where you've got your pretty gold stashed... he he..."

"I don't..."

"That's okay, since you won't be so pretty more after a few rough nights.."

What did it mean? I knew what he suggested, but I didn't understand. How come these people were so… ruthless? I looked outside again, and saw nothing but a relaxed tribe of people, marching to some unknown destination. There were kids playing around the carts, while the women with their colorful dresses sat close to keep an eye on them. These people weren't so bad, it seemed.

"Do you want to hear my story, pretty boy? I don't have much to do else…"

"Uhm…sure."

I was very eager to hear more about this world. It seemed so strange, but also very much like my old reality. It might be that this was all a TV show. How I eagerly wished that were true…

"Well, I'm just a lowly ashigaru soldier from the Kai country. Yes, we're the Sons of the Tiger, the great Takeda Shingen! And don't even begin to brag about your Kanto's Fuji-sama or the Hojo dynasty, we're the best! OUCH-OUCH!…"

What was it about these sons? And Kai… wasn't that an old name for a province near the Kanto region? I pushed all my thoughts about Asuka and the others away. I was solely interested in what he had to say…

"Well, back to my story. I'm a Kai-jin, as you know. I used to be a regular country boy, minding my own business, but suddenly my parents sold me to the provincial army! I was a proper farmer, and I've prayed to all the important gods! There was no reason for me to get abandoned like that… But that's all in the past, some fifteen years ago. The army is my new life. It's been difficult ever our Great Empire of Kaihon started to invade the Han Empire and all the other tribes of the Eastern Cycle. And don't make any jokes about Kai and Kaihon. I really hate it when that happens. I'm a Kai-jin, not a Kaihon-jin."

Kaihon? That sounded similar to Nihon, my Japan. However, Kaihon wasn't the land of the rising sun. In a flawed way, the name could mean the center of the world.

The man looked at me straight in the eyes. I had a strange feeling he had some sort of interest in them. My eyes were normal… weren't they? They were blue, which was certainly not common, but... Oh! I suddenly realized that these people might have never seen blue eyes before! I didn't know anything about this world, but it could be that there were only Asian people in this world. Aware of this fact, I suddenly grew more uncomfortable. I even looked away from him, just because I didn't want him to be interested in me... I could already imagine what the tribesmen would do to me. I deeply worried about my life, about my survival here. It was all my fault…

"But back to the story, I've been fighting some Han. They are tough fellows. You see those shiny boys on the horses, with all their uniforms, flags, and armor; those are the Han. Now instead of the few fifty or so right here, imagine ten times as much of that, all in perfect formation. Do you have that, kid?"

"Y-yes... I think."

"Now imagine ten times as much of that, and another ten on top of that! That's a regular army, boy. And there's even more on foot! The Han is inferior in every aspect to us Kaihon-jin, but they are certainly the biggest and most sophisticated tribe here on this side of the Cycle."

"You are... in war with them?"

"Of course! Didn't I tell you already? Han or not, these people have no clue what they are and what they can do. We need to subject them to our rule so we can all grow better, or so the Emperor says. I don't mind him, really. I only believe in the gods, unlike the others. I've never seen the Emperor fulfill a wish for me. As for the war, I'm just in it because someone needs to do the fighting, that's all."

"Who's winning the war?"

"We of course! There's one thing our leaders were right in, and that is that these Han and all the other tribes are stupid. They can't match our organized army, or our iron faith. We've beaten armies ten times larger than ours. There's almost nothing left of the Han! They're all rotting in the desert plains now, like this place. They have resorted to helping lesser tribes, but these hide-wearing barbarians fight even worse. The war only took so long because of one thing…"

"What is that?"

"Their dragons. Their dragons are much stronger than ours..."

"Dragons? I don't know what you mean..."

"Dragons! The giant lizards flying in the sky!"

"What!? They really exist?"

"Of course! I haven't met anyone who didn't believe they existed. Your head must have been really damaged… I saw men like that before. They weren't very pleasant to be with... he he..."

What was this reality I've been placed in? Dragons! That was absurd… But actually, compared to the Angels and the Evangelions... it wasn't really crazy after all. But still, at the time, it seemed very dubious. It might have been a dream, or a deception. I didn't like this. I didn't want this. I just wanted to get out of here! I would even endure Asuka again if I had to. I would do anything to get out of here. I considered the guards again...they didn't look very friendly. Would I end up like the man next to me? Would I be beat up, tortured, or... have worse things done to me? I gripped the bars and squeezed tight. I didn't like this at all! I wanted to have a normal life, with a normal Asuka, with a normal Misato, with a normal Ayanami, and with a normal Evangelion! I didn't like this! HELP ME!

But I knew, begging for help was useless. Father taught me that. I hated him, but I knew he was right. In this unfamiliar world, no one would come to help me. I was all alone...

All alone...

**Pfffuuuuuuuut!**

What was that?! A horn?!

"SHIBEIJA KAI!"

"SHIBEIJA KAI!"

"SHIXA SHIXA!"

The whole camp was in chaos! All the carts suddenly stopped moving. Everyone sprung into action! More horns began to blow, and in an instant a stampede of spear-wielding soldiers went to the left of the lengthy train of caravans, facing towards the hills and low mountains. Meanwhile, the women, children, and elderly ran to the opposite side. It seemed they were panicking… What was happening?!

"Our boys! They've come! Hahahahaha! I'm finally free from this hell…"

"You mean the army? The... Kaihon-jin army?"

"NO! Not the Kaihon-jin, but the Kai-jin! We're different! But it's probably my boys! The Sons of the Tiger! Watch out our flag! It's white with a black helmet or shoehorn depicted on it. And watch out for our cavalry! We have the finest cavalry force of all of Kaihon!"

While he kept cheering, I increasingly became more worried. Did this mean that there was going to be a fight? A battle? What would happen to me? Would the guards come and kill us? I gripped the bars again and tried to shake them off. It didn't budge at all. I backed up and tried kicking at it, but it seemed I was damaging my bare feet more than the wooden bars. It was completely useless! Was I going to be left behind to starve here?! I didn't want to die!

_Dum.. dum.. dum.. dum.. dum.._

What was that?...

A drum… there was drumming in the distance! It was very faint, but it slowly kept growing. There was a deep sense of dread in me... I feared more and more at the prospect of a huge fight. The chaos might even wash over to the prison carts... And we might even get stabbed or burned! I looked frantically around me. A hundred of shining Han cavalry were deployed at the far ends of the large convoy, while the more numerous leather- and bare-armored men tried to form a steady line in the center. Everyone readied their spears, some of them nothing more than a bamboo stick cut diagonally to produce some sort of sharpness. It was surely going to become a big battle. One where I was at my mercy...

I didn't want to die…

"Whahahaha! My boys, it's my boys!"

Why was he being glad at?

"They are coming to rescue us! I'm finally free! Well, after they looted everything else first, he he…"

What was he talking about? Well, he had it easy. I wasn't a soldier… I wasn't even a native to this reality! I had nowhere to go and nothing to do. What would they do if they find out? Would they kill me? Or might they torture and enslave me? I was deeply afraid, and at that situation, I had rather dared captivity to these Hmong than trying to live with the Kaihon-jin. It was an irrational thought, but I still feared them. I feared my potential saviors. I was afraid to interact with people again, with people who would judge me and bully me. Just like my friends, like Ritsuko, like father... I just wasn't ready for this! I never wanted to be a part of society…

_Dum Dum Dum Dum Dum Dum Dum Dum Dum Dum_

The drums were getting louder again. They were coming closer; I could feel it in the tension around me increase. Every single soldier and barbarian held still, bracing their spears. A few of them wielded clubs, or even plain sticks, but that didn't matter to them. They all looked ahead with a serious expression. They all stared at the hill as if it was going to be their last fight. And I believed it, just by the intensity of it all. This was a serious battle. People were going to die now. Something I never wanted to see again…

I started to remember... just before Third Impact. I remembered the invasion, I remembered the infiltrations, I remembered the corpses, and most of all, I remembered Misato. Misato… why did you have to do that? Why did you save me? I wasn't worth your life! And you didn't like me, did you? I was nothing to you, I think. I really was… I was just your house slave, and nothing more. You didn't care about me, you just wanted someone to clean up your beer cans, was that it?! You just wanted someone to tease and kick around, was that it!?! You just wanted someone to use like a toy and throw away, WAS THAT IT?!

"AAAAAAAAAAAGGHHH!!!"

I released the pent-up rage that I had collected during and after Third Impact in a devastating blow. I had simply crashed my forehead against the tough wooden bar, but instead of cracking it, I had hurt myself even more! I was in so much pain now! I screamed and I screamed, waking up everyone else still asleep inside the prison carts. I madly shouted out while holding my head, just trying to get rid of pain! It HURT!

DUM **DUM **DUM **DUM **DUM **DUM **DUM **DUM **DUM **DUM**

The drums were getting louder! I was overloaded with pain and the beat of the drums. I collapsed to the surface and squeezed my eyes. I just needed to get rid of it...

But the drums just wouldn't let me… I started to breathe deep and slow... deep and slow...

The pain started to fade away...

The drums started to fade away...

Misato started to fade away…

Everything…

I faintly considered leaving, to fall asleep. It was so quiet right now. The pain didn't matter... I was just about to enter my dreams, until

**DUM DUM DUM DUM DUM DUM DUM DUM DUM DUM**

The drums! I could hear them getting dangerously close! I suddenly came back to full consciousness and rapidly looked outside. Beyond the Han and Hmong, near the shallow hills, the sounds were getting closer. I could hear several drums, beating in a firm pace. They were marching. They were coming here. The Kaihonese. I could feel the tremble of the earth. There were thousands, maybe. Thousands of ruthless soldiers, ready to run down the hills and smash into the convoy. Would their charge be powerful enough to rip through the lines and tear the cages around me? Would they distinguish me from the Hmong? I didn't keep my hopes up, because my rags were the same brown color of the leather hides of the Hmong in front of me.

I swallowed up more and more air, waiting for the inevitable charge.

Everyone tensed.

My heart was beating faster and faster.

The wind was blowing against my face.

I took note how much sweat was pouring out.

There was so much tension, and so much sweat.

I gulped.

**CRASH!**

What!? Something exploded! All the measly-armed barbarians were just as surprised as I was! I quickly looked over to the right of my cage, and saw some smoke coming out of the caravans at the very front of the column. I heard frantic screams coming out of there, and also the faint sound of battle. There was steel ringing in the air! My heart was beating so fast I almost started hyperventilating. People were fighting! People were dying!

The sheer surprise of being attacked at their right flank started a wave of panic amongst the foreign army. All kinds of shouts were ringing about, and there were several spearmen running towards the battle. But quickly the cavalrymen stopped them from acting on their own. Somehow, they all obeyed them and started to get back into ranks, somewhat. I saw a group of fifty colorful horsemen debating with each other for a moment, and finally split up from the rest of the army to enter the skirmish at the flank. In a brief moment, I admired the way they rode their horses. The horses didn't look quite healthy, but at that moment, they looked as magical as a streaming rainbow. The wind streaked against their long garments, making themselves look like a ball of ice, fire, or whatever color they had on. So strong was their charge, I had no doubt they would be victorious.

"Me boys! Me boys! They've finally come!"

I was wrong.

In the clouds of dust caused by the ruckus at the far right, an army of untold white appeared out of nowhere and _streamed_ against the pitiful horsemen of the Hmong. If the Hmong charge was a elegant rainbow, then the Kaihonese charge was as massive as a gorging waterfall. So graceful, but so robustly powerful was their attack, that I couldn't see any other color than white anymore. Hundreds of spear and bow wielding warriors on horseback streamed through the formidable looking enemy like they were nothing! And I wasn't the only one thinking like that, because I could hear more and more panicky screams amongst the ranks of Hmong soldiers. They were simply terrified, just like I was. With all order lost, the lengthy line quickly compacted into a chaotic rectangle and turned clockwise to meet the incoming wave of white death.

"Hahahahaha! They fell for it again!"

Couldn't that bloody and bruised man simply quiet down a little! And what did he mean?

**DUMDUMDUMDUM DUM!**

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!!!!!"

Thousands of war cries suddenly popped up in the distance, to the front of me. A vast horde of white spearmen suddenly appeared over the small hills, and quickly charged down, towards the chaotic lines of the barbarians. Everyone simply panicked! With a terrifying charge of mounted spearmen on to the right, and an even larger horde of infantrymen running down on them, they simply started to panic and run away! Everyone was just routing, some were even leaving their spears behind. There was nothing but incoming death approaching. Nothing but death They were running towards me, towards the long line of carts and caravans. Were they planning to flee to the other side, in to the vast mountain chain, like all the women and children had done?

The men ran so hard they crashed into the carts. Several human bodies were smashing against the bars, cracking it in several places. It was an opportunity, but I didn't pay attention to it. Instead, I quickly curled myself up in the center, hoping those spears wouldn't poke me. Our cart was rocking against the pressure. Dozens and dozens of Hmong fled away from the incoming wave. There were so many people and so much panic.

"_**SHAKA HMONG!**"_

I cringed at the loud and thunderous voice, and so did everybody else. It was so sudden and so powerful, it was impossible for someone to have a loud voice as that. Where did it come from?! I looked at everybody else, but they just stood there while the white army was nearing their positions. Their entire army was still stuck around the caravan train. What had made them to stop fleeing? I looked at every single expression in my view, and they all seemed fixated on whatever was behind me. I turned around.

In some distance away was a circle of elderly men. All had a determined gaze. I knew somehow that they were the ones who made the army stop fleeing. I could hear murmurs from the army as they recovered. How could they have gained their confidence so easily?

"Shaka Hmong!" the circle cried.

"SHAKA HMONG! SHAKA HMONG! SHAKA HMONG!"

Everyone else shouted the same thing over and over again! It was so loud it made my head spin. How could this be, how could a mere group of old men motivate such an army? I quickly turned around to ask the injured Kaihonese soldier, but I was stopped by his expression of pure fear. How could mere words change the tide so abruptly?

"Tell me, what is Shaka Hmong!"

He was stunned. His eyes were shaking, almost erratically. It was as if his life was about to end. I was absolutely clueless. What was it about Shaka Hmong that made it so terrifying and so full of hope?

"TELL ME!"

"TELL ME!"

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHhhh!!"

The army of Kaihonese crashed down against the ranks like a massive hammer. So great was their impact, the whole line was pushed back. The soldiers in front of me flew back so hard they cracked the bars and rocked the cart heavily. The soldiers looked like they were pouring in! Their spears were dangerously close to us! There was a pitched battle just a few meters in front of me. Men were falling down! There were people dying right in front of me!

"SHAKA HMONG!"

"TAKEDA SHINGEN!"

Their cries meant nothing to me. I just wanted to leave here! Over to the right of the line, the white cavalry looked like they were engulfing the right flank. It would be soon before they would stream over this position and trample over the cart I was imprisoned in. I was in danger, I realized again. I didn't want to die! With unexplainable rage and panic I quickly picked up a flimsy looking bamboo spear left abandoned by a bleeding spearman. I looked at it, admiring the simple beauty of the bamboo, while the heat of the battle flowed on. The screams of the slashed and smashed didn't ring through me at all in that single moment. I was only admiring the touch, the shine, the sharpness...

"**_SHAKA HMONG!_"**

AGAIN! A Thunderous war cry bellowed from behind, no doubt from the circle of elders.

"SHAKA HMONG!"

The barbarians responded to the cry with one of their own, and invigorated their assault against the Kaihon-jin army. Even though the Kaihonese were better equipped and more in numbers, they seemed to be pushed back by the sheer brutality of the Hmong assault. Even the rivers of white at the right flank had been stopped! How could this happen!?

"**_SHAKA HMONG, SHIBEIJA!_**"

Again! But this time, it was different. Suddenly, the sky above me started to rumble. The puffy white clouds began to move slowly, but they were pacing up. Something was happening in the sky! That shouldn't be possible! What had the Hmong done? The clouds were whirling and whirling into the shape of a circle. While this was happening, even more clouds started to form. The whirl of white started to thicken rapidly, as more and more clouds were being sucked in. The disk was growing, too. It had reached a massive size, larger than several Evangelions. What was being formed? A typhoon? A tornado?

As the turmoil in the sky kept going on, the tide of the battle turned more and more. The barbarians increased their spirit and put all their strength into their arms. Leather-armored barbarians were actually pushing the scale-armored white spearmen back! The sky started to crackle more and more. Lightning struck. A swirling storm had appeared, and it grew more and more in size. So much terror reigned over the Kaihon-jin, and so much fervor had the Hmong gained. It was getting more and more out of hand…

"**_SHIBEIJA!_**"

In the eye of the storm, a green mass suddenly came down through the hole. It was humongous! It seemed like a huge and lengthy stream of acid was raining down on us! But suddenly, the massive body stopped in midair. Everyone fought on, but they couldn't stop staring at the shape above us. I marveled at it, wondering what it was and how it could float. Suddenly, it curled up a little. The front of the shape was turning, so everyone could finally figure out how terrifying this shape really meant.

It was a dragon. It was a gigantic dragon, with the length of two or three Evangelions stacked on top of each other. It was...majestic. I noted the thin arms and legs, the distinct shape of its face, and the intensity of its huge red eyes… I never imagined that those fabled Chinese dragons could exist for real. It was also definitely magical, since it was floating in midair without wings. Somehow, the greatness of this beast dazed me, making me unaware of the true nature of my dire situation. But it was not long before the lengthy serpent opened its huge mouth and screeched something painfully loud!

"WHUUUUAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!"

A dragon! On the barbarian side! Many Kaihonese troops started to pull back even further, as fear was overtaking them more and more. There were so much screams, so much death. It was getting crazy! But even more worrying was that the dragon started to move. It's massive length started to move through the air like a snake would move through the water, but in a much grander scale. It let loose another cry, before diving right down. It was falling, or attacking! Every Kaihonese at that side of the line started flee in absolute panic, while the Hmong were staying in place. Why weren't they pursuing?

I saw the reason in a moment. The moment its fangs scraped the ground, it turned its head with flashing accuracy and speed I had never seen before in my life. But the head didn't lie still over there. Instead, the rest of the body kept falling while its head was moving forward, straight into the battle line. It was heading right towards me! Was I going to die?! Was I going to get eaten by this... this beast?! I panicked with the rest of the Kaihonese soldiers. Instinctively, I clutched an abandoned stone-tipped spear left behind by a fallen soldier. I looked around the prison cart, hoping to find some help. All I could see was the same beaten man, sitting against the bars without a worry, it seemed.

"Injured man, what is going to happen!?"

"We're going to die. We're all going to get eaten by that rotten beast."

WHAT?! Was I going to die!? I couldn't die! I can't die! My heart couldn't pump any faster because of the dying screams and the flying spears. Blood even splattered my face! Why was I in this mess? I just wanted to be left alone… I didn't want to fight! I didn't want to suffer, just like I did whenever I piloted the Evangelion. I didn't want to fight... I didn't want to die...

"How can I stay alive?..."

"By fighting through this mess, and running away like children did... It's the only way for you to escape. It's the only way. Good luck though."

Fight? I didn't want to fight! But when I looked back outside, I could already see the giant serpent accelerating. It was heading straight for the flank! It opened its mouth, ready to scream I thought, but instead it collided right into the line, and kept going through! It was literally eating up the line! There were so many screams, so many lost limbs, and so many people taken alive in its stomach. It was going through the entire length of the line, intent on eating up Kaihonese soldiers. I've never seen such a horrible living weapon before! When it came closer to my position, I rapidly backed against the other side of the cart, hoping its menacing teeth wouldn't reach me. It gained ground rapidly, tearing up Kaihon-jin on the way.

"It's coming towards us! Do something! Please!"

"We can't do anything... we're stuck here, unless you fight your way out... But let's just die in peace here."

"WHAAAAAAAAAAAGGHHHRRR!!!"

When its head flew past me behind the ranks of the Hmong and the Kaihonese, time seemed to pass by slowly. I looked at its eyes, its shiny red eyes. They were so catching, so alluring. Its entire head was magnificent. The teeth, the colors, and the size… it was awe striking. But when time started to flow back normally, the screams and blood started to spread around me. Many Kaihon-jin still left had lost a limb, and the mouth of the dragon swept others inside. In just a moment, the dragon thinned out of the Kaihonese line! All those lives, maybe a thousand or so, were lost in the blink of an eye. And I could have be next.. I could have be next! It was only when its head had reached the cavalry at the right flank that the dragon was interfered. But it was already obvious how the battle was turning out. I was going to die.

"Just fight your way out…"

Fight...? I gripped my spear tighter, feeling the rough splinters trying to dig in my palms. I had not fought since... since that day. I had killed relentlessly. I had taken many lives away as if they were mere insects. Thinking of those JSSDF soldiers, and their crying families, made me sick. They didn't deserve to die... And these leather-clad backs right in front of me, concentrating on the frightened Kaihon-jin, they didn't deserve to die either.

But I knew I had to stay alive.

And to stay alive, I had to fight.

This time though, I was not invincible like I was inside an Evangelion. This time though, the invincible giant was on the other side. It might all be futile, since after a heavy fight the dragon could simply swallow me whole.

Nevertheless, I pushed myself up. I crept myself through the broken bars and out of the cage, and silently approached the back of the barbarian battle line. All of them were so full of vigor, and all of them were so eager to take part in the massacre.

I had to survive… I had to survive!

I had to kill! I had to kill!

With a silent battle cry I stormed against the back of the ranks and slashed my spear madly at the first brown clothed back I saw. It went straight through a part of the shoulder and ran down right in the spine, and produced a scattered spray of blood that caught nearby troops unaware.

It was my first kill. My first direct kill.

I could hear his cry amongst other cries. I could see his face amongst all the other bodies involved in the fight. It was awful for me to take a life, but my adrenalin-powered mind did not stop me from raising my spear. My guilt did not stop me from slashing the spear to the side, slashing arms and ribs. I had to fight.

I HAD TO FIGHT!

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!!"

With a mad cry of burst energy, I stormed deeper in the gap that appeared, and slashed around any bodies within range. Some barbarians started to turn around and approach, only to be stabbed in the back by the Kaihonese troops, eager to exploit the distraction I caused. Others backed off in terror, bumping against their fellow fighters so they could not respond to the Kaihonese attacks. Chaos and confusion started to spread around my position.

I stabbed a petrified enemy, who already dropped his spear in shock. I parried another strike to the left of me, and quickly stabbed the soldier right into his gut. When I pulled it out, excrement and urine flowed out of the hole and soiled my worn blade. I knew there was someone ready to strike me at the other side, so I quickly turned around, swinging my spear in a wide arc that struck several spears or arms. The unsuspecting warrior didn't have a chance. With the momentum I had built up, the head of my spear struck straight against his skull, blowing away pieces of bone and breaking my shaft in half. Cursing the low quality of the weapon, I quickly threw away my useless stick. As I saw others realizing my vulnerability, they quickly gained in on me.

"BACK OFF!" I screamed while dropping down. Within a second I had picked up two bamboo spears. With pure instinct I quickly threw them forward with no aim involved at all. Aim didn't matter since the enemy was everywhere. I didn't even look as the spears hit their targets. I didn't even look as they dropped their weapons in disbelief, grasping the pitiful bamboo, hoping their lives wouldn't end this way.

Instead, I grasped another set of spears. One stone tipped and another metal tipped. As the barbarians surrounding me closed in, I quickly raised myself and spun around, creating a circle of deadly spears. I could feel I struck flesh and bone. The vicinity was soaked in more and more blood. Even as the splatters struck my eyes, I only spent a tiny moment wiping it out before resuming my circular assault.

I didn't die! It worked! As my spin was stopped by some powerful blocks, I started to dodge the long ranged stabs. I felt some euphoria behind it all. My mind was foremost focused on survival, but to make it alive this long meant there was hope. I fought, I killed and I murdered for that spark of hope. I smashed my stone blade straight into the face of a Hmong, driving the crushing rock right inside his brains. I let the spear loose and held both of my hands on my metal tipped spear.

I had more flexibility now. With insane dexterity I twirled my spear and stabbed it behind me, striking the enemy soldiers I knew were approaching me. After I ripped the sharp metal out of the chest of my fourth victim, I quickly spun my body and swung my weapon in a wide arc in front of me. I was ready for more blood.

But the screams didn't come. The splatters didn't fly.

There was nobody left! Strewn on the ground were at least twenty bodies, all done by my hand. Nobody else dared step on them and approach me. I gaped, almost in disbelief. Didn't anyone want to fight me? However, I realized the gaping hole in the line I had caused was quickly filled with revitalized Kaihonese troops. Caught in their flanks, the barbarians were quickly struck down on their sides, widening the gap even further. The tide was turning.

I did it! I stayed alive!

"AAUGHH!!"

That was, until a thrown bamboo spear struck me right in the chest. Millions of chords struck in my mind at that single fatal moment, wiping away all idle thoughts. There was only one thing that filled my mind now. PAIN! I flew a short distance before my back crashed against the hard surface of the desert.

"AARRHHHGGGLLRL!"

The agony! My eyes peeled out so much from the massive waves of pain my chest continued to pulse. My body convulsed wildly for a moment, as if it was unable to comprehend what happened. Foam and blood started to mingle in my breathless mouth. It hurt...

I was dying…

Meekly, I lifted my arms and grasped the shaft of the smooth bamboo that pierced my lungs. Even though I was near dead, the texture was strangely comforting to me. It reminded me of the vast green bamboo forest out in the countryside. I remembered running through one such forest, touching and bumping against several thick green poles. How innocent I was back then…

But another surge of pain quickly snapped me out of my thoughts. I desperately tried to pull the blasted weapon out, but my strength had already left me. I was dying! No!

This couldn't be happening, right?

I pulled harder, but it wouldn't seem to budge. I messed around with the spear so much I accidentally turned it a little, smashing my ribs and my insides even more and giving me another bout of excruciating pain.

It didn't work. Nothing worked.

I was dying...

This spear…

Tears flowed from my face. I didn't want this to happen. I was only in this world for a day or so, but already I failed.

I was a failure..

I couldn't do anything right...

Completely out of my expectation, the spear that struck my chest was suddenly removed, making me scream a half-empty breath again.

"AAHHH! What?!!"

What happened?! I quickly shifted my weary head to see that same wounded man back in the cart. His bruises seemed insignificant compared to the gaping hole on my body, and his smile was strangely suspicious. What was there to laugh about?!

"Whh t??"

My breath was leaving me... I could hardly exhale.

"Dear boy, that was quite remarkable of you… hehehe..."

He was laughing! How humiliating... even though he quickly clutched his side from laughing while he was in pain. He was leaning on a broken spear, probably one of mine, I noted. In his other hand was the weapon he just pulled out of my chest. Somehow, he didn't bother to point it to somewhere else than at me…

"We thank you boy. Not just me, but also my boys back there."

I strained my head even more so I could see that behind him was the cage filled with captives. Or used to be, since all the prisoners had already left through the broken bars and were all busy picking up fallen weapons. Some had already run away from the battlefield.

What was this...? What did he talk about?

"You were only meant to distract the beasts for a few seconds before you died, so we could slip out. However, it seemed you divided the lengthy Hmong line in half, giving us ample time to escape. I commend you for your fighting boy. You deserve an honorable death. Hahahahahahaha- OUCH!... ouch ouch…"

My eyes widened at this realization. I was betrayed! I was used!

"So you know now eh? But it was all for a noble cause. Civilians like you have no other use but to die. It's a shame though, if you were one of my soldier boys, then I could have used you for a bit longer. Too bad it has to end here. Hahahahehehe..."

With that same grin he always wore, he mercilessly stabbed the bamboo spear back into me, creating another hole in my body.

'DAH Ah... hh… grrhllrhrl..."

"I hope your reckless bravery is enough to imbue this spear with your essence. I might have a use for such a special weapon. Goodbye."

With that, he promptly ripped out the spear again. My mind shut down in that tiny moment. Shock started to affect my senses. The pain didn't matter to me anymore. I had no reason to listen to the pain. The captives ran away. They left me behind. Nobody came to help me. Nobody came to stop the bleeding. I was dying…

I was betrayed again.

Again...

AGAIN!

How could I fall for their tricks!?

I paid the price with my life...

As I stared at the sky, and at the gigantic magical dragon preparing for another dive, I wondered, was I wrong?

I certainly was.

I had no chances left.

I had no way of correcting my mistakes.

Evangelion, the Thirteenth Angel, Third Impact, and this futile fight...

All mistakes.

But never again!...

Never will I allow myself to be used and toyed with again…

I hate it. I hate it very much.

Father, Asuka, betrayer,

I hate you all.

I cried again. I wanted to live, and I wanted to learn from my mistakes. But it seemed I had no chances left. In a few minutes, I was dead. Why is everything so cruel to me? Why is everyone so cruel to me? Was I that despicable, pathetic, or stupid?

No more, please…

Please…

As the dragon spat out some human bones to rain down on enemy troops, I wondered how my life could have been, if I survived. I would be a changed boy, I suppose. Not a boy, but a man. Yes, I had become a man now, I considered. No longer was I naïve, and no longer was I so narrow-minded.

Too bad I couldn't put it to use.

I closed my eyes. I knew that these were my last moments. As the dragon wrecked havoc, and as the screaming Kaihonese troops madly tried to drive the Hmong back, all I thought about was Asuka.

Yes, Asuka.

How much I wanted her to be nice to me. How much I wanted to be violent to her. How much I wanted her to care for me. How much I wanted to degrade her. I hated her so much. I hated her so much for making me think about her even as I had two fatal wounds.

I felt my consciousness fading away. I was dying. How much I wanted to live… I never really realize how valuable my life was for me, not even when I drowned in that sea of red. Strange.. Everything was so strange...

As I slipped away, I could still feel the tears flowing. I hated this so much. Couldn't everybody else just leave me alone? I just wanted to live.

I just wanted to live...

For all my begging, I never expected my wish to come true. I did not know back then, as I lay shamelessly in my own pool of blood, that I would live to see another day.

* * *

**Author's Notes:** I struggled a lot with the names. Eventually, after many hours of reading through the internet and browsing through books, I decided upon Kaihon. It looks like a very weird name, but it's similar to Nihon, the Japanese name for Japan. I'm not Japanese or anything, so it is probably a flawed word. Also, it is a bit confusing to use both Kaihon-jin and Kaihonese. The latter is a bit flawed, but it's more comfortable for English readers. 

Anyway, even though me and my partner's work haven't generated as much support as I had thought, I'm still going through with this project. I have thought up a rich world, and set out an interesting plot. I don't want to abandon all of this. Please, as an author I ask you, my readers, to review my fanfic. Even if it's just a few words like 'cool' or 'you suck', every single comment is appreciated. It will make me feel more confident, and it will also make me more motivated. It might sound stupid, but I really do need fanfics. Like any other author here, I'm addicted to reviews. Please leave a message for me when you can, but you don't have to if you don't want to. I at least want to thank all of you for reading my work. Really, thank you.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own the anime Neon Genesis Evangelion. I do not profit financially in any way from this work of fiction.


	3. The Master's Corruption

**IMPORTANT:** This fanfic is connected with Sesshy's Girl 00's fanfic **Mistress of Tyranny**. To enjoy this fanfic properly, you should read my partner's fic too. Check out my favourites in my profile to access it.

* * *

_**Master of Corruption**_

_The Master's Corruption_

_By RahXephon and Sesshy's Girl 00_

* * *

"So much blood…"

"I know, there is far too much blood here…"

"Time and time again, the same thing happens! They just keep sending these soldiers to their deaths. Why can't they see that if only there were bigger and better equipped armies, they could win without massive losses."

"There is nothing we can do. Our commanders are too self-absorbed in their apparent superiority. They do not blame it on their own strategy, but rather at the supposed incompetence of these troops. Only you and I know how wrong those assumptions really are."

"Those arrogant bigwigs never have to cut off a severed limb! I've never seen any one of those nobles step inside these tents."

"No one would like to be inside here, especially if you were carried here."

"The thought makes me grateful I could work under you as your apprentice. I can't thank you enough..."

"You don't have to thank me each and every time we have a conversation, Koga-kun. Now, let us get back to work. We are already short of hands, so I don't want any of my subordinates to lazy around while there are still lives to be saved."

"It's all our general's fault. He sends pitiful armies all around the territory with no regard at all on the required strength necessary to subdue the region. I heard they sent an army of just thirty bare formations to fight against a tribe known to have dragon summoners!"

"I suggest you keep your voice down, lest you want to be executed on the spot. Now, back to your work, boy."

"Okay, okay. I just hate ignorant nobles acting like generals. They can be thrown in Fuji-sama for all I care."

…

These voices… I can hear them. I can understand them. They are speaking Japanese, my language. If I could hear voices, did it mean that I was still alive?

Was I still alive?

As minutes passed, my cloudy mind started to clear up. I started to notice things. I felt that a dirty and ragged futon was wrapped around me, sticky and moist in some areas. I smelled a foul stench, like a weeks-old carcass of a pig was decaying next to me. The overwhelming stench almost made me cough up the bile that had risen into my throat. I could taste the bitter taste of my own fluid. This bitter flavour only meant one thing.

I was alive. I was alive and rotting to death.

As I opened my eyes and looked around a bit, I was glad that there weren't flies around me. As I started to strain my neck more, a sharp pain struck my muscles, causing my head drop as I went limp for a moment. Then, another shock of pain struck around my chest, as if a hammer had dropped right against it. In that single flash, I suddenly became aware of the searing pain. I couldn't help but cry!

"hh gh hh.. hhh…"

I couldn't scream! Let me scream! My cries of agony were voiceless. No matter what I did, I couldn't make a decent sound. It hurt so much! I shook around slightly, trying out every single thing I could do to make the pain go away. Nothing worked! As the seconds ticked by, my mouth and my eyes couldn't have gone any wider. I had thrust my pelvis as far as I could, just to lessen the pain, even if it was just one percent. It didn't work enough though. I was still in immense pain.

"Hhhrr…gghh...hghrhl..."

Let me die!

"Doctor, we have an active one here!"

Just let me die so I could escape this pain!

"Okay boy, I'm coming. Hold him down."

Even as my eyes were open wide, I didn't spot anyone else around me. Even as I felt a pair of firm hands pushing my shoulders down, I couldn't register anything but the pressure. As the ripples of pain continued to pulse from my chest, my eyes started to falter. I could see nothing more than white, red, and purple spots. I felt my eyes were about to explode!

Suddenly, I felt a bigger and colder pair of hands pushing down my chest, increasing the pain tenfold!

"GGHHH hHHRHHH GHLRLH!!"

"Keep steady, Koga-kun!"

WHAT WAS HE DOING! My chest was about to collapse! It felt as if his bony hands would rip right through my wounded chest if he kept pressuring my chest. But what he did next was something incredible. He started to move his hands around in circles, while chanting softly to himself. When his hands stopped moving, I felt an immense flash lighting over me. I could feel my body warming up, especially around my chest. I felt the pain fade away, slowly. I felt the holes inside me getting filled, becoming smaller and smaller. In this sudden light I was bathing in, I felt nothing more than intense warmth. I smiled, even if it was only for a short moment. I liked this feeling. For just this moment, all my pains and all my thoughts floated away. There was nothing but warmth.

And then it left. The light had faded away. Expecting to be hit by a jackhammer of pain, I was surprised I was feeling nothing...absolutely nothing which resembled pain. The spots in my eyes had finally cleared up. The abrupt perception of two uniformed Asians made me yell out slightly.

"Ahh! Who-what-where?!?"

Huh?! I could talk? I had my voice back! What did they do to me?

"You are alright, sir. I asked a God to bring back the flesh that has parted from you."

"What?!"

Healing? I remembered. The confinement. The wounded soldier. His crooked smile. The massive battle. The primitive spears. The warm blood. The undeserving deaths. The regal dragon. The fine bamboo. The gaping holes in my chest.

Did they just heal my wounds?

"What…?"

I didn't understand a thing!

"Yes, you were lucky to be alive when one of the support squads had checked up on your body. You were mortally wounded, so there was nothing more they could do than ask a small favour from a God. You and many other uncertain wounded men were brought back here, in the Freed Eastern Territory's capital. You are in a provisional hospital, in the deathbed section."

"Deathbed...?"

"What? This stupid skinny boy doesn't know?!"

"Do not be rude, Koga-kun!"

"I'm sorry, sensei!"

"What is your name, boy?"

My name..? I wondered if it was safe to tell them my name. Was a name such as Ikari Shinji a normal name in this world? As I contemplated, I stared in their faces. The young but rather... ugly boy who was apparently named Koga, stared sceptically in my eyes. I felt very uncomfortable under his gaze, like a prey who is face to face with his predator. As I shifted my gaze to the other person, the doctor, I felt a small relief. He was old, wrinkly, and weak, but I his smile and his sparking eyes brought back some life in me. I felt…safe.

"I-Ikari Shinji, sensei…"

"Well then, Ikari-kun, the deathbed section is the place where ones whose lives are still uncertain are placed in. Those who are on the brink of death. Those who are dead, but not quite yet, as some would say. Sadly, there are too many of those for healer priests to cure them of their wounds. Also, one stands with one foot in the afterlife might not lift that foot. Fallen soldiers are checked for signs of life, and if there are still signs, they are touched with a small warmth. The favour costs little, so the field priests can tend to many injured men. Those whose lives are still uncertain even after being treated, are transported and placed here, where ones with a strong will to live are given the full grace of a God."

"A G-God…? What God…"

"You do not need to concern yourself over that, unless you are schooled in their ways."

Gods? Did Gods really exist? In the few seconds that had passed I had rigorously denied to myself that Gods existed. Why else did I endure so much hardship? But then, several images from my memory flooded my vision. Angels, Evangelions, Third Impact, AT Field, the Sea. All of these simple words were proof that some supernatural force existed. My healing was just another of the countless proofs that could be used to convince me. Still doubting, I slowly moved my hands over my chest, feeling the naked, dirty, and sweaty skin rub against my dry palm. It was smooth. There were no holes. There were no wounds. I was…healthy.

Thank you, God!

"Now, now, although you are healed, you must eat and drink much to recover. Koga-kun, fetch him rice and water."

"Okay, sensei."

As Koga-kun left with his uncertain expression, the doctor leaned closer to me.

"Well, well, Ikari-kun. You have no mark of a soldier, or the body of one. Tell me, what are you and what are you doing in the far reaches of the Eastern Cycle?"

"I'm…"

What should I say?! If he knew I was from another reality, then I would definitely get into trouble. But if I lied, then he might find out and get me into trouble either way. I was cornered. My eyes focused rapidly, searching for any kind of inspiration to make up a decent story. I could pretend that I was a carpenter, maybe, or a tanner. No, that wouldn't work, since my hands are definitely soft in comparison with the other people around here. A poet… no, I couldn't even rhyme. Maybe… a reporter... No, it didn't look like journalists existed in this time. I couldn't think up anything!

"Ikari-kun, are you a part of an army of Kai?"

"No, I can't fight…"

"What did you say?!"

Did I say something wrong?! What was it!? Was I going to get into trouble? His expression changed dramatically, from a peaceful to worried, and maybe angry.

"Oh dear… Koga-kun, we have another 'civilian' here."

"Oh shucks! Gods be pissing my pants! That's another wasteful try! Okay, okay sensei, I'll get them."

"Hand over his meal first, boy."

"Hai, sensei!"

I felt nothing good from this conversation. I couldn't bear facing my generous healer. What was going to happen to me? What was wrong being a civilian? I couldn't read anything that would explain something from his face. I only knew there was something wrong with me, but what that was, I didn't know. Was it my blue eyes? Or was it… just me? The thought seemed preposterous, but after all that I had been through these past few days, it looked like it was my destiny. To be played and toyed around with, to be used and abused by anyone capable. I closed my eyes, sick of the misery that followed me throughout my passionless life.

"Here's the food. A pity though…"

"Koga-kun, go tend to the other patients, please. Off with you."

"Hai, sensei. Man, a real waste this kid is. All that trouble for nothing. _Sayonara_, skinny boy."

"Koga-kun! Some more respect please! Now off with you!"

"Hai!"

The gentle nudges from his wrinkly hands made me open my eyes again, wondering why he bothered me. The obviously pained doctor handed me a small rough clay cup, filled with what looked like water. I quickly drained it down my neck, never really realizing how disgusting the unfiltered water really was. I quickly coughed heavily, trying to get rid of the dirt that was still stuck in my throat. My eyes were almost tearing! But after a quick help from the doctor, the coughs stopped. I only spitted out some remaining dirt to the hard desert-like ground the large hospital tent was placed at. The grim and tattered canvas of the tent was as uncomforting as a haunted mansion. Nothing was clean, and nothing was pleasant here. Only the grim spots of blood decorated the otherwise plain environment. Blood.

My healer quickly took back the cup, and offered me an equally unappealing bowl of rice. I accepted it with great suspicion. Even though the rice was relatively clear and white, I didn't trust the white puffy grains at all. But after a careful bite, I quickly munched down the entire bowl. The quality was nothing like I was used to at home, but it was still acceptable. In fact, it was the best, or the only food I ever had in these hellish days. It was a small moment of peace and calm.

The approaching footsteps soon interrupted that calm. The clashing sound of wood and metal from the moving suits of armour became louder and louder. There were soldiers coming, armoured soldiers. My heart pounded faster. Nothing could contain my anxiety now, not even my satisfied stomach. I quickly tilted my head over in the direction of the sounds. Soldiers! They all wore lavishly decorated wooden armour, coloured in mostly black with a hint of yellow, and a small variety of other colours. On their back was a strange attachment. Something I had only seen on old Japanese paintings from the feudal ages. Flags. Every single foot soldier had a large rectangle banner attached to their back. They were unmistakable white, with a simple black upside-down horseshoe depicted in the centre.

A strange metal armoured swordsman stepped forward, saying "Tiger Guard reporting, doctor. Another illegal combatant?"

"Yes, unfortunately. Take him away. He is fine, physically."

"Yes, doctor."

"What?!" I half-screamed.

As their rough gloved hands pulled me away from my rotten futon, I meekly tried to resist. It was useless though, as their strong arms were more than powerful to subdue my weak struggles. They tied up my hands with a harsh rope that scraped against my skin. After they were finished securing me, they roughly pushed me out. I passed rows and rows of futons, every one as blood-soaked as mine. Flies were hovering above at least half of the bodies. Many of them lost an eye, or an arm. I even saw one with both arms and one leg missing. What could have made them this way? Were they all from the battle that I had vainly fought in? The view was depressing. I knew that most of them would never make it out of here alive. Several bodies were simply corpses, where flies and bacteria feasted upon the eyes. There was nothing else to see but decay.

"I hate coming here all the time. This Guard thing ain't what I had imagined." one of the guards pulling my arms casually remarked.

The metal-scaled soldier, apparently the officer, replied "Shut up! Being a Guard is honourable. Besides, everyone starts out low. You'll get your metal scales in no time."

"That doesn't mean that I'd get rid of this God-pissed job."

"Hey! I take offence in that!"

"Good, stiff back."

"One more word from you and I'll throw you into Fuji-sama myself!"

"I'm sorry, sir!"

When I was dragged through the exit of the filthy tent, nothing that even resembled the plagues from the hospital was in sight. Thousands and thousands of murky brown tents spanned the entire plains. Some were huge, like the hospital I was in, and others were luxurious, with a few symbolic decorations painted on the canvas. There were even a few tents with heavily armed guards at the entrance! It seemed that I was in the centre of the camp, in the middle of all the important tents. Surrounding the large and extravagant canvasses were countless of small tents. I imagined that all the regular troops slept in them. I saw many soldiers with and without their uniform, some with flags on their backs, and some without. Everyone was occupied, but could I easily feel a laid-back atmosphere.

Under the cloudless bright sky, in a landscape of dry desert-like hills and mountains and a large walled city in the distance, many casually clothed men were practising manoeuvres. It nevertheless marvelled me how disciplined and precise they were. Every strike carried a powerful yell. Every order was responded with a simultaneous confirmation. Every step thundered in unison. This was simply amazing, many times more amazing than a synchronised dance from a pop concert. Cries like 'Banzai!', 'Long live our strong country of Kai!', and 'Takeda Shingen!' echoed across the throngs of tents. The ones who didn't participate in the exercises were usually busy polishing their equipment, or chatting casually around a battered pan under a fire. I had the impression that the entire camp was very industrious.

But shortly after, the only thing on my mind was the huge decorated tent that we were approaching. Nothing looked as awe-inspiring as the lavishly painted golden-yellow surface, with strokes of black added to suggest the tent was made from tiger hides. Several prominent banners and flags surrounded the tent, all of them depicting the same white flag with an upside-down smoothened horseshoe-like figure in the centre. At least ten guards were standing guard around the house-sized tent. They were dressed as distinct as the ones carrying me towards the tent, with the black colouring and the white banner in the back. Why they were wearing a cumbersome flag on their backs outside the battlefield was a mystery to me. It was as odd as the two poles of stuffed tiger heads marking the entrance.

What was even more disconcerting was the chopped off heads impaled on the poles behind the tiger poles. Their expressions were absolutely disgusting. Their eyes were directionless, while their dried out purple tongues was a paradise to the attracted flies. I would hate to end up like them. But after all I had been through, there was a decent chance that there was another rod being prepared for my head. I could feel it. I was forced to go inside. I was being forced to meet my death.

"Lord General Nobukata-sama, I humbly apologise for our intrusion."

"What is it now, Guardsmen?" The imposing figure behind a finely polished ebony desk asked. He didn't even take his eyes off the reports he was reading.

"We have brought another illegal combatant, my Lord. According to his sheet, he was picked up from the aftermath of the final battle against the filthy Hmong. He was found to be mortally wounded, with several…"

I didn't even listen to the extremely faked up tone the Guardsman was using. All I did was hang from the strong grips that held my arms in place. I stared down, noticing dark yellow carpets and authentic hides of tigers covering up the hard reddish desert soil. I raised my head again, and passed the time by staring at several marvelling objects inside the tent. The walls were decorated with drawings on rice paper. They displayed trees, mountains, and cities, but also symbols and poems. Several ornamental looking torches were attached to the poles that held the massive tent up and lit up the tent. There was also a round ebony table. On it were leftovers from a very rich meal. I could spot at least three different kinds of fish, several kinds of other seafoods such as squid, and a large lacquered bowl of golden rice strewn around the table. It was a meal fitting for kings.

"…and he has not lost favour, as you can see right in front of you. That is all, my Lord."

The grey-haired noble looking general shifted his eyes towards me, making me flinch from the sudden intensity of his stare. He was scrutinizing every single inch of me. I quickly bent my head back down, unwilling to confront his steel-gazed eyes. Could he see my sweat trickle down my cheeks? Could he see my arms struggling from the pain to keep still? Could he see my dirty legs slumped lifelessly on his neat carpet? I didn't feel good. Every inch of my skin was being peeled away by his laser precision eyes. I felt humiliated.

I could hear his heavy breathing voice remarking slowly "He indeed does not resemble the troops from the regular forces, nor does he look like a servant. Oyamada-san, tell me, what do you think of this seemingly innocent boy?"

Oyamada-san? I traced the direction the general was staring at. Behind the table filled with food was a comfortable bench covered by tiger fur, and reclining on it was a loosely dressed man, roughly in his thirties. The only indication that he was an important officer was the highly decorated katana and the jewelled masked helmet near his position.

"Well," the smooth noble, accented voice started, "he's a spy. Look at his sneaky struggles. Spies are trained to deceive, and it looks like he's doing an excellent job."

"However deceptive he might look, I doubt the risks are high enough to brand him a serious threat."

The charismatic man took an apple from the table, and seemed to stare at his reflection from the shiny red surface. His medium length hair was tied in a complex knot, one that reminded me instantly of the samurai in the past. While the general had an air of an experienced leader and administrator, the younger officer seemed to radiate an aura of confidence and charm. Even the way he took a bite from the apple was graceful, in a way. He seemed more of a prince, and if I were girl, then I would have definitely been mesmerised by his being. But I was not a girl, and I was not here for simple pleasure. I was a captive. My fate was being decided at this very moment. A lot was at stake.

The 'prince' sharply retorted, "You underestimate too much, my Lord, for that is exactly the kind of attitude that gives spies like him free reign. Espionage and sabotage is extremely critical in this age and period. It is easy to weaken our foundations with countless of sensitive leaks. Letting him go will surely benefit our enemies… Especially the dirty scum from Echigo."

"You are right. We can not be too lenient on these grave issues."

"Then depose of him, my Lord. He is surely a spy."

That wasn't true! I wasn't any spy! I was just me, myself!

"I'm not a spy! I'm just—"

The general suddenly stood up from his simple carved chair and banged his knuckles on the table, while yelling "Silence! NEVER speak to me unless you are ordered to, you pitiful spy!"

"I told you he's a spy. He's acting all clueless now. I humbly urge my Lord to extract every single drop of information from him."

"Very well. Send him to the torture detachment."

"What!"

Torture?! I harshly tried to rip myself away from the strong grips that held me still, but no matter how frantic I moved, they still didn't budge! I just wanted to get out of this place. I just wanted to get away! The Guardsmen promptly turned and marched away after they dismissed themselves. It was only after we exited the tent and passed the decapitated heads that I ceased struggling. It was no use. I was going to get tortured. The question was, how painful was it going to be? Would they whip my back until all the skin is torn away? Would they cut off my fingers one by one while depriving me of air? But most of all, what will happen to me when my torture ends? Would I… be murdered?

Killed?

Slaughtered?

Disposed with…?

"I DON'T WANT TO DIE!"

"Shut up, kid." A guardsman spat out while giving me a hard blow to my stomach.

"AGGH…"

This pain again. Why was I so often in pain? Why do people want to harm me? I felt so tired, so tired of this endless repetition of suffering. I had felt this feeling before, I knew. This feeling of hopelessness, this desire of ending my life. But I knew that I couldn't control my life. I had been steered around with like an toy car for my entire life. It wasn't that I was directionless, but rather I was restricted to one road, one set of rails. There was no way for me to turn left or right. There was no way for me to change my destiny. I couldn't change the way I was. I couldn't change…

Before I knew it, I was thrown down hard, against the murky dirt. It was after I spitted out some mud from my mouth that I realized that the sand became muddy because of all the blood. BLOOD! I slightly raised myself up and quickly took in my environment. Bodies! Dozens of bodies hung against the sturdy wooden fences that held the large, blood soaked tent up. It smelled, it was dark, and most of all, the screams were horrifying. The ones who weren't dead or unconscious were placed in various painful contraptions. Many were being flayed on their backs. Others were getting drowned over and over, pushing them to the brink of death each and every single dunk. It was a hell.

"Well, well, some new meat eh? Where does he come from?"

An armoured hand roughly grasped the tattered brown rags that were supposed to be my shirt, and lifted me up so hard that I almost choked. I was about to scream out, but the intimidating sight in front of me paralyzed all the nerves in my body. He wasn't big or buff, but there was no doubt that he could break bones with his bare arms. His toned muscles were soaked in sweat, and for what reason he was sweaty I didn't even want to know. His simple black shorts and shirt in addition to the rusty iron gauntlets made him look rougher, and add to that his devilish smile, he actually looked like he enjoyed making people suffer.

"Master Executioner, you have orders from our Lord General himself to gain as much information about him as possible. He was picked up from the Last Battle, apparently mortally wounded but still alive, and brought back to the deathbeds. Upon awakening, it became apparent that he is an illegal combatant. Aside from this, we do not know much else of him. The little there is left is in his profile here. The Lord General expects your detachment to expand it. That is all."

"Another spy huh? Not that I'm complaining, I get to keep my job AND have lots of fun while I'm at it. I'll take good care of the child, hehehe…"

I was deeply afraid of the way he was about the take care of me. There was no way I would make it out of here unharmed. The torn and broken bodies around me proved that all too well. And furthermore, I didn't like the sound of his rank. Master Executioner… it sounded more like he… simply killed people. His smile and his eyes told me that I would be suffering horrendously…

"You can take your leave guard boys, I'll handle him. Dismissed."

"Hai, Master Executioner." The handful of guardsmen replied, and simply left me in the red greasy dirt. A shadow engulfed my head. It was my 'caretaker'. Even his feet looked menacing. The wooden 'sandals' was broken and soiled. It looked like he had smashed people's head with it.

"I'll take good care of you…"

* * *

These few long days were horror shows. I refuse to describe them in detail. Like the rest of the bodies, I was hung up, hung upside down, bent over, and got into countless of other uncomfortable positions. To my surprise, the torture wasn't as brutal as some of the others had taken, where groins were burned and fingers were cut off. But being offered the gentlest treatment in this hellish tent didn't offer me much solace. The fists, the kicks, the spitting, the insults, the whips, in short there was much pain I had endured, all for the reason that I was a 'spy', which I wasn't. I was not spy… I really wasn't… but nobody believed me. Lies. 

It wasn't that I held on to my secret. In the first ten minutes of my treatment I already cracked. I told him about Earth, Japan, the Evangelions, the Angels, everything. But he didn't believe me! I punched me ruthlessly in the gut every time I started with that story. He really didn't believe a single thing about it. Maybe my life really was a stupid story. A horrible piece of fiction. Fake, made up, a fairy tale. I started to doubt my memories. He didn't want to hear my lies. He wanted to hear all about me being a spy. Who did I work for? Who did I work for? WHO DID I WORK FOR? That was what he asked me the most. Echigo? Kanto? A rival politician? Who did I really work for, anyway? I really didn´t know the answer to that question…

But the rain of questions didn´t stop at my silence. My torturer was determined to crack me and spill out the truth, but the real truth was that I was already cracked. I had given up all hope for the first day. The pain was excruciating. Though my near fatal wound from the battle was the strongest pain I had ever felt, the pain I received while tortured was far more damaging. My nerves were stretched to their limit, and so was my mind. I screamed most of the time I was awake. It was only after I had lost my voice that the Master Executioner stopped inflicting pain on me. Like a piece of meat, he carelessly lifted me up and threw me against the wooden racks where all the other bodies hung. Roughly strapped, I had no other way than to do my bathroom business in my shorts. I felt dirty…

The next days though, I faired better. I had experienced pain before in my life, especially in the past few days. My caretaker slowly increased his power with every new strike, determined to make me give it all up. I had cracked, but I was not broken. I did not desire to die, to take me away from this extremely unlucky predicament. I wanted to live. I wanted to live to see another day. I had many dreams that I wanted to fulfil. I wanted to go back to my old world and see it revived. I wanted to touch the soil of Japan, and feel its vibrant life flowing around my body. But most of all, my greatest desire is one that I had considered many times to be my greatest nightmare.

Asuka.

It was deeply ironic that my greatest source of hate was also my strongest pillar of hope. While the Executioner whipped my back for hours on while degenerating me with his harsh words, I never ceased to lose hope. I did not lose Asuka. My eyes stared determined to whatever was in front of me. I was not going to lose her. I WILL stay alive, and I WILL meet her again, my mind repeated. I wanted to do so many things with her, but to simply be with her and getting slapped and insulted at was all I wanted. I didn't ask for much.

All I asked was Asuka, and seeing my torturer dead. I hated him. I hated his deformed fist that struck my face. I hated his broken wooden sandals that kicked my shin every now and then. And most of all, I hated his delightful smile. It was the same kind of smile that _guy_ had, back then in the battle. He played me, he manipulated me, and when he got what he wanted, he simply got of me. I couldn't forgive him. I didn't want to die before I could kill him with my bare hands. He wasn't the only person I wanted to kill, however. I wanted to kill my torturer. I hated him as much as I hated the other guy. They were all the same, these warriors from the province of Kai. I hated Kai, I hated this desert-ridden country, I hated this reality.

Several days passed on as described. I received pain, while I didn't receive any food. I wanted Asuka, but I hated the Kai. I flew away my consciousness, while I couldn't even move my limbs. There were so many contrasts and so much confusion, but in a way, it held me alive. It held me alive, but not in the way I used to be. These hopeless days of suffering had impacted my thinking in many subtle ways. My hatred to most humans reached a firm hold in my mental space. My naivety about humans was crushed after the continuous relentless assault on my body. I knew that when I would finally be free from this place that I was not going to be the same meek boy I used to be. Though there was not much of a difference, people who knew me well would feel a slight difference, a small change invisible to most observant eyes. No one would suspect that behind a frail, almost starving body, a boiling rage began to grow in size and intensity.

One day, people might get burned.

* * *

**Author's Notes:** I have already given up on the casual reader. My readership on this story is probably the most pathetic of all with only about 20 percent of the average. I expect that percentage to decrease further, since I'm not planning to change the way I write. My goals are strictly long term, and my ambition is very great. I think the casual fanfic reader has also gotten the point that the story will progress slow. But for those who stick with this and my partner's story will definitely get rewarded. I don't plan on copying all the cheapness and unoriginality that has become common. I am not demoralized at all, despite my ultra-low reader exposure. It's fun, it's truly fun. I hope that my enduring readers will hopefully feel more satisfied reading this work to the end, than any other around here. That is my goal, and I plan to accomplish it. 

Please, as a poor author becoming even more poor, I ask that you place a small review. My fanfic is quite unpopular for most people, and as such I am glad for any feedback that comes my way. And even if you don't place a review, I am very grateful that you have read this fanfic to this point. Thank you very much, my reader.


	4. The Master's Dictator

**IMPORTANT:** This fanfic is connected with Sesshy's Girl 00's fanfic **Mistress of Tyranny**. To enjoy this fanfic properly, you should read my partner's fic too. Check out my favorites in my profile to access it.

* * *

_**Master of Corruption**_

_The Master's Dictator_

_By RahXephon and Sesshy's Girl 00_

* * *

It was my fourth, fifth, or whatever day that I was stuck inside the torture tent. I hung limply against a wooden wall, unable to free myself from the sharp cuffs that dug a wound in my wrists. A small heap of body waste lay below me, the stench making me almost unable to fall asleep. Was it night, or was it day? The large murky tent blocked away all outside light, so no one could tell what the time was. It was frustrating to be blind of the daily cycle. When to sleep, and when to stay awake? But that didn't matter much anymore, since I fall asleep at every safe opportunity. The pain from the bruises, the lashes, and the cuts became more and more unbearable. I didn't know how much I could last...

It was a special day, today. I woke up to the sound of talking and moving. What was going on? I strained my bruised eyes open, finding the effort worth satisfying my curiosity. It was all vague to me though. There were dozens of soldiers, doing something with the prisoners. One by one they were taken away. Were they being taken away to be executed? Or had they already perished? But that didn't make any sense, since usually just one or two died per day. They didn't need to bring that many men to carry them out...

"Next subject, who is this?"

Huh?

"Ikari Shinji, an illegal combatant and a suspected spy, First Captain."

What was that voice? It was an old man, I could tell. But I couldn't see him clearly...

"How strong is that suspicion, Master Executioner?"

"He should have spilled it all out days ago. Though his silence is a little disconcerting, there is nothing unusual to that compared to other innocent victims. He is either a brilliant spy, or just another unfortunate bystander. I suspect the latter, sir."

"Hmm… let's see."

The gruff armored man in front of me stepped forward, never minding stepping on my digested brown waste with his scaled boots. I suddenly felt his touch, squeezing my thighs, my stomach, and other parts. His rough handling of my tired muscles and sensitive bruises almost made me scream out in pain. I held it back, barely. I didn't want to startle him. Somehow, I knew he was important.

"Boy. What was your name again.. Ikari-kun, yes. Are you awake?"

I hesitated a little. Should I keep pretending to be unconscious, or should I try and talk with him? I didn't really know what the better choice was, but since I could feel that he knew that I was already awake, I decided to answer him.

"Hhh…Hai…"

"So you're an illegal combatant, eh? Have you killed?"

"I… have, sir..."

"How many, boy?"

"A-About... ten? Twenty? But you don't believe me, right?..."

"That you have killed once before is enough. Have you killed any soldiers of Kai?"

"No, I haven't! Only barbarians, sir..."

When will the questions end? I just wanted to fall back to sleep...

"Can you kill again, if you are able to and asked to?"

What was this? Where did these questions lead? It didn't make sense to me...

"…"

"I asked you a question, boy."

"Yes- I mean yes, I can kill again..."

"Very well. Men, suit him up."

"Hai!", a pair of voices replied before approaching. I could feel a several couples of arms unlocking the cuffs and untying the ropes. I was lifted down gently, as if I was not a despicable spy, but rather a dependable comrade. Locking me tightly with their arms, the pair of Guardsmen began to drag me towards the exit.

Why? What was going on? Who was that captain and what did he plan out for me?

The answer to that question became more apparent when we passed through the entrance. It was my first time in those long and agonizing days that I had felt the warmth of the sun beat my skin. Preparing to be bathed in heavenly delight, I was instead confronted with different, more dangerous warmth.

Fire! There were many fires burning in the distance in the normally dark night. I could see that beyond the distant city walls, buildings were burning. The heavy plumes of smoke washed over the massive army camp, smoking out every soldier still sleeping in their tents. Was this an illusion? No, it definitely wasn't. I could smell the hot ashes tickling my nose, and feel the sweat caused by the intensity of those massive burns in the distance. How many homes were burning? How many people would have to find another place to sleep?

I could hear hundreds of feet slapping against the dirt, and I could see several men putting on their armor. A full company of soldiers was running in formation towards the city. Stretchers and other wounded soldiers were carried back in the opposite direction. All of them were stained with blood. All of them had a suffering expression. It was then that I noticed the magnitude of the chaos. Many people were screaming. Others were trying to scream louder, hoping that their orders would be acknowledged. I even saw a young scrawny boy, not that different from me when I was young, carrying a bleeding arm. The sight of the weeping boy, clutching the soaked arm tightly against his chest, was simply heart breaking.

I hesitantly tried to ask, "Where am I being taken?"

"You're going to kill, boy."

"Yeah, well, at least you'll catch some arrows for us."

"Catch...arrows?"

"Yeah, that's what you're for, boy. No more whining, brat."

What was this? Was I going to fight, again? Did these people trust me enough to hand me a weapon?

It was not long before we arrived at some sort of armory. Several racks of spears lay all around this open space, and a whole stack of armor lay inside a caravan. There were several lines of plain clothed men waiting to receive their equipment. There was also a separate line of prisoners being held up by their arms, just like me. My escorts roughly dragged me into line, and waited patiently for their turn. I could do nothing much except stare at the bloody back of the tortured man in front of me. His brown shirt was practically nothing more than shredded cloth. It looked like he was flayed just a minute ago, since most of his wounds were still open. What were these people thinking? Did they expect us to fight while we couldn't even stand straight? It was madness.

"IT'S FUJI-SAMA!"

"FUJI-SAMA!"

"BANZAI!"

Cheers were not only erupting here, but also throughout the entire camp. What were they cheering at? And why were half of the soldiers frowning? And who was this _Fuji-sama_ anyway? It was frustrating to know so little about this world. But looking at the faces of all those cheering men made me realize that they were all looking at a specific direction. Also, I noticed the environment lighting up even more, even if it was just a little. I turned into the direction they were looking at, expecting some kind of king.

Instead, it was a star. A falling star- no, a comet. I wasn't even sure of that, but whatever it really was, the sight of a fast streaking light flying over the hills and towards our direction was awe striking. Never have I seen such a magnificent sight before. The bright golden light streaked right through the sky at a supersonic speed, having no trouble cutting through clouds. If my eyes weren't deceiving me, it even looked like the clouds were burning a little! The light quickly grew larger as it approached us, and it was only a few seconds until it passed over us. Was it going to crash here? Was it going to kill me? No, that wasn't possible, since half of these men here were cheering wildly. But there was still the other half, brooding silently to themselves. What was so great, and what was so awful about Fuji-sama…?

"Here it comes!"

The missile of light flew past my head faster than I realized, and lower than I had noticed. I felt the searing heat in that brief moment it passed over my head. Whatever it was, it was burning. A mere second later it violently crashed down in some part of the city in the distance. The lagging thundering sound of that...that _fireball_ reverberated throughout the area, while a massive earthly shockwave rumbled my lower body. I could see pieces of light and debris from chiseled stone buildings blast up in the sky, before raining down over the entire city. I couldn't imagine the death and destruction that whatever _Fuji-sama_ was caused. There were definitely more buildings – and people – burning now.

"BANZAI! BANZAI!"

"PRAISE FUJI-SAMA!"

"Move the line! Next!"

The excited guards lowered their ravings but it was still audible, all the while they kept guard and dragged the line of tortured individuals like me up to the armories. The disciplined men native of… Their home country of Kaihon received a full complement of wide covering wooden scaled armor which lacked the usual white horseshoe flag mounted on the back, since it would hinder them in urban combat. Each regular soldier also received a fairly strange looking spear, with a fairly long knife blade at the tip. The weapons were quite unlike the more crude triangular metal- and stone-tipped ones of the Hmong. But pretty soon the soldiers dragged me to the armorer up front, who simply passed on a ragged white hide shirt and shorts and a familiar weapon, a simple bamboo spear.

My two escorts pulled my arm roughly while carrying the items, making their way over a more secluded area where more tortured ones like me were getting fitted with the clothes by their guards. I was unceremoniously dropped near a campfire. A small knife cut through the barf and urine stained rags I wore for the last couple of days, before being drenched by a bucket full of river water. Pretty soon I was fitted with the same white hide clothing as the others and was rounded to a group of other frail looking men, each holding their bamboo spear upright, as ordered. I shuddered at the sight of the small heap of 'dissenters' in the fires who didn't hold their spear straight enough. Looking at the raging fires in the distant city, I wondered if I was fated to burn regardless. The frightened and weary stares of my companions seemed to add to my subtle fears.

Pretty soon a trio of fully armored men, with black lacquered scales covering their entire body, with only a few places on their helmets and arms showing Kai's emblem. With their knife-bladed spears they separated a segment of about 30 of us from the rest, herding us like sheep towards another cropping of tents, where rows and rows of other white-shirted boys and men stood. There was a strange sense of intimidation around. While there were only three soldiers for each group of thirty, no one had the sense of trying to attack them. No one had the courage and initiative needed to do so. We were still prisoners.

As we reached the front of the line, a burly stenched man bellowed, "Pass up! Okay, this one's here be the 25th company! Paint 'em!"

As the words reached the ears of his subordinates, they started to paint each one of us a sloppy red twenty-five on the front of our shirts. The characters were completely identical to the kanji I knew on… on my world. But I had little time to wonder before a cold and almost unbearable manacle shackled my neck. One of the three soldiers then proceeded to pull the connecting chain, dragging not only me, but also another fellow white shirt to a corner where the rest waited. Still gripping my fresh bamboo spear, I reluctantly glanced over the others, each of them were in a similar state as I was. Fresh bright paint dripped from the white hides, sometimes even to the point you couldn't even read the number anymore. Some of them were tugging at the heavy neck brace in futility, more often than not annoying the one on the other end of the connecting chain.

As the trio of our supervisors dragged over the last of the pair, one of them stepped forwards and drove his spear, which surprisingly was bamboo, through the ground. He removed his helmet and looked over us briefly. When I viewed his head, I somehow received a shudder at the vague familiarity. I tried to shake it off, knowing that there would be no way that I knew any of these Kai-jin soldiers, except the _monster_ who tortured me in those horrid days. It was not until he opened his mouth did I realize, with great fear, which this menacing dirty-bandaged man really was. I involuntary shook.

"Alright ye boys, though you're not my boys, you're all still MINE today...", he announced, and wheezed afterwards before continuing, "To this wretched night you've been all gathered up from the dirty piss hole you were suppose to be in to FIGHT your brothers and sisters, your fathers and mothers, and all those other SCUM causing a chaos in the city over there." He pointed his thumb behind him, towards the burning and smoking walled city, and spit a glob of snot dangerously close to a frightened white shirt.

"What you be are our Arrow Catchers, and catch arrows be your main job. Gutting your sisters is your second!"

The middle-aged bearded man, with that gruesome bamboo spear, the same one… the same that… punched a gaping hole in my chest, scratched his bandaged and threw a cold glance to everyone. I started to breathe rapidly, realizing my almost killer stood within ten paces away from me. I considered throwing my spear right in his chest… I seriously considered. My eyes were stinging from the salty tears that filled my eyes and had cast a haze in front of my mind. Just one throw…

"However, what you boys don't need to be doin' is gutting us or any other Kaihon-jin soldier! Try it, and not only you, but the rest of you sorry 25th Arrow Catcher company gets sliced by us and other Kai-jin around. And I tell ye, your sorry bamboo don't stand a chance against our armor, and the neck chains will choke you to death in the ensuing chaos. So don't be thinkin' about them rebellions! Hahahaha-OUCH.."

Muttering something about his own injuries, he then directed his two companions to start moving. They slapped the flat of their blades on our backs, directing us to move towards the city, where many other companies of soldiers and so-called Arrow Catchers were heading. We passed through a dangerously raging gateway on fire, which occasionally spilled smoldering debris down, tearing through many unfortunate soldiers. The burnt and scarred remains of tens of them still littered below and near the gateway.

"Alright ye pussies! You are now going to them front where them Han rebels are still holding out, and you're going in mad deep in their buildings where they throw them arrows! And you'll catch them arrows and hope you survive, for if not, we'll drive down a spear through you anyway."

I shuddered even more at his next words.

"I'll personally drive the tip of my spear through your heart, like I joyfully did with the first victim of this spear…Hehe…"

As we ran through the streets, littered with bodies of well-armored Kai-jin and randomly clothed Han, many of them likely to be simple civilians, I did what many others with me did. We shortened the chain, roughly two man-lengths in length, to avoid tangling it up. We also met the ones on the other end, similarly shackled. My 'partner' was a muscled, slightly buffed man, and darker skinned than most Asiatic people who I met so far. His wounds were more superficial than mine, and his stare held strength, which gave me a slight sense of hope. Others were not so lucky, as I would think half of us were too old, too young, or too injured to fight effectively. They only barely kept up with our pace!

We were driven towards a makeshift barrier of broken stone debris, with behind it many Kai-jin archers firing towards the buildings up front, where another rain of arrows returned the favor. A battered company of regular Kai-jin spearmen stood beyond the barrier, inside a dark alley. They all seemed to be waiting. None were moving.

After a brief word with an important looking archer and one of the spearmen, my…killer coughed before announcing, "Alright ye Catchers, when I say so ye go run through that gap and head straight towards the buildings! If you be still alive, which I figure you probably don't, go inside and butcher your annoying brothers! To make sure, that group of Kai-jin in that alley over there be making sure you do yer jobs. They're also the one you be supposed to protect, so you better be not doin' your names a shame!"

We held spear and chain alike, ready to pour through the gap and into madness. Several of us cried, some of us murmured prayers. The most of us though, too weary, too weak, or too broken, accepted our fate and prepared for the inevitable.

"CHARGE, YOU LOWLIFE!"

Which was now.

All of us, even the old, young, and injured ones, poured through the narrow gap, one pair at a time, and streamed as a column towards the trio of buildings directly facing our way. Each of their open windows revealed an archer, sometimes two, and all of them rained down arrows. The short fifty arm lengths between the gap and the buildings proved devastatingly fatal, as we all did what our names suggested. We caught arrows, with our bodies. Our red markers were nothing more than perverse bulls eyes, the motion of it making it easy to aim and hit at our bodies. Our column thinned down, many of us dragging the other end of the chain down with us, forcing them to lay down and crawl under another body, or get trampled by the others. For many of us, either the arrows or our neck chains proved to be our end.

But it was not my end. I was lucky I was at the end of the column; further away from the more appealing targets that the Han rebels threw their might at. More and more white shirted bodies supported my bare scarred feet, as I climbed over their corpses and reeled closer towards the buildings. Right behind me, the company of black-scaled Kai-jin spearmen marched swiftly behind us. I ran more to get away from their menacing knife-bladed spears than to charge the four storied buildings up in front. As it was, I was quite surprised to meet the darkness of the interior. It was only by the harsh pull of my fit companion that I returned to my senses. He pushed me up the cold harsh stone stairs, where other Catchers were already engaging the rebel spearmen and archers. My companion moved in cold determination, and unlike his bulk, he swiftly and discretely navigated through the chaos and on towards the end where the majority of archers were just abandoning their bows and picking up spare weapons, from bamboo spears to table legs. Arriving, we, but mostly he, laid carnage.

It was yet another time I had slain a human being. And I didn't feel anything of it.

I just stabbed. And people just fell over, dropping their weapons and their hope.

Flames of fire raged on throughout the city, while the flames inside the men I had killed flickered out.

Death was just for my survival. I murdered to stay alive.

But I didn't even think on staying alive.

I just murdered because I was forced to, no, ordered to.

They fell under my stabs and sweeps. They bled under our piercing onslaught. As soon as the main company of spearmen arrived, the battle was quickly mopped up. The Catchers then went to the level above us, and we started the same routine all over again. And again, and again. Each time, less and less Catchers remained, until at the rooftop, we were only ten or so in all. Two thirds of us had fell, from arrows or from the chains. For some, both were an equally cruel fate, as evident as I wearily stepped out in the open night.

A steady, thin stream of bodies was directly in front of me, some of them struggling or writhing under their chains. Some were embedded with the large arrows the Han rebels used, but I noticed a pair who had a slimmer type of arrow punctured in their backs. A few, particularly the old and the heavily tortured ones, had put on a ghastly face, or had foam in their mouths. For them, their fate was to be choked to death as their chain got slipped up, tangled up, or simply dragged down by their companion at the other end. The risk of your partner falling down, and you with it played very strongly in us, the survivors.

The column of bodies was not without its own survivors. The ones who were not mortally wounded tried to drag themselves out of the carnage, most of them dragging, or trying to drag, their fallen companion. It proved to be an exhausting exercise, especially as most chains were tangled in other chains, which were tangled in others, and so on. But I had not the time to pick out more detail, since the trio of our guards, slapping with the shaft of their spears, quickly hounded us towards a direction. Crudely, they kept slamming on us, and we were running more to get away from their blades than to follow their orders. But our chains slowed us down. It was always the chains.

* * *

For several times more the same routine ensued. We were hurdled on to another chokepoint, be it an alleyway, corner, barricade, or building. We then merged with the survivors of other Arrow Catchers, with first the Sixth, the Thirty-fifth, the Twenty-fifth, and then I lost count. After that, we charged in a fortified defense, with regular infantry right behind us. It was always us; the ones up front, the ones with no armor, the ones with bright white and red. The cruel tactic was sickeningly effective, with over three quarters of the losses falling from us; the spies, the traitors, and the expendable trash. 

It was a miracle of some sorts that I survived. I was not particularly fast, strong, or quick-witted. There were more than a few moments where my chain companion had pushed (or pulled, which hurt immensely) me out of harms way. He seemed to know exactly when to fight, where to fight, and particularly how to fight. He would regularly keep a low profile between the chaos, keeping me close beside him, and sneaked past to attack a certain flank or blindside, where stealth gave way to crushing strength and brutal battle maneuvers.

I thought it would never end. Encounter after encounter I was dragged to yet another embattlement, closer and closer to the heart of the city, where the deepest fires and the loudest cries reigned over. More and more Arrow Catcher and regular infantry met up, and the fortifications we assaulted kept getting bigger and more heavily defended, to the point where arrow tips where lit up in fire and cauldrons of hot water poured down over the attackers. Miraculously, I came out unscathed. I wondered when that would end.

At the end of one of the main roads, I had my answer.

An impressive walled palace was withstanding numerous assaults, from thrown torches, a flurry of arrows, and infantry charges, especially from the other side, the north side. On the south side however, the situation was calmer. There were little archers on this side, but we were bombarded with a few flaming arrows nonetheless. Though the wooden scaled armor seemed quite repellent against fire, if the oil the arrows were coated in managed to catch onto the armor, it could turn it in a scorching cage. The Arrow Catchers had to do with less, though.

My supervisor, or should I say slave-driver or murderer, whose helmet had cracked and beard was blooded, coughed up another blob of spit and blood, before addressing us yet again.

"Alright you low lives, you are still standing eh…? Well don't think this be over yet. We'll get in that rubble of an oversized stack of glorified bricks, kill your brothers, and take the pretty sisters for us soldiers to have fun with." At that, he smiled sadistically, before continuing, "Now, we'll wait until the rest of you pissbags arrive, and then YOU start to have some fun. Us real soldiers will stay back and wait a few minutes 'till you be done. Or dead."

We all prepared ourselves for the coming assault. A group of the largest and most fit men were given a sawed off tree trunk, to act as a battering ram. But for the most of us, the preparation was purely mentally. I glanced over to my partner, whose heavily tanned face simply stared beyond the walls and on the rough stone surface of each crack and nook in the walls of the large palace. He held his scavenged broad stone-tipped spear perfectly upright, leaning on it and at the same time peering over the cracks of the wall. Blotches of dried blood and a coat of sweat covered his soaking hide shirt and his lean but worn down skin. He stared at me for one moment, but quickly gazed back to the defenses he was about to meet. I felt I was little more than a liability to him. And he was right.

Drums drummed in a rapid succession, and suddenly all of our guards yelled for us to charge, and charge we all did, fervently. Ten scores of Arrow Catchers streamed up through the gaps of the property walls and spread out in a determined way discredit the name they were given. Makeshift shields, sometimes simply a collection of spears, were used in a failing attempt to protect oneself from the flaming and searing arrows. My partner strung me close until he could hold his arm around me, and deftly maneuvered himself through the throng of falling men as he kept us low. The side entrance, massive, braced wooden door, still held firm against the shoulder bashes of the Arrow Catchers. Soon the ones with the rams arrived, and desperately tried to fling the door open, to no avail. As my partner hugged close against scorched palace walls, we could hear an excited shrill behind the door, where most likely all manner of furniture and men held stout against the repeated bashes.

All around and over the walls, the windows were wide open and rebel archers kept raining their flaming arrows down on us, but mostly from the masses still approaching. Bodies fell and kept falling. Many Catchers close to the gates buried themselves under dead bodies in an attempt to shield themselves against the flaming torrent. Some of the bodies caught fire. In one defining moment however, the window almost directly over the gates flung open, and a few rebels held over a large blackened cauldron. They were too fast for anyone to take cover. Buckets full of searing hot oil, used to flame the arrows, poured over the men operating the battering rams. The boiling heat made one of the most agonizing screams I had witnessed up until now. Soon enough, a few flaming arrows landed close nearby, lighting up the entire patch in front of the gates, and forcing us and many of those taking cover near it, to make way for the small raging firestorm.

Many of us were screaming in a mix of rage, madness, and despair. All around us, people held their spears to their chest, hoping to gain some comfort out of it. Others seemed simply dazed, never minding the arrows that kept firing on us and lighting the small patches of desert ground around us. Besides me, past my eerily calm and determined partner, the fire around the gate kept burning, even smoldering the wooden gate to collapse. Still, no one dared leaping over the fires to enter the palace. Briefly I glanced back at the walls where we came from, only to meet slim, barbed arrow tips, strung from smaller but accurate bows of the Kai-jin archers. Everyone knew that if they didn't penetrate the gate, they'd end up in a hail of arrows. Cold arrows.

In the maddening cries of the Kai, Han, and whatnot language, I yelled, "Stop the arrows! Throw the spears in the windows!"

No one, it seemed, listened. I yelled harder and harder, but even though Japanese was the same language as the Kai, no one even paid one glance at me. I was at a deeper pit now.

A slight rumbling of my chain and then a firm tug pulled me out of my senses. My large companion picked up a few spears from fallen Catchers, pointed the tip in a flame to catch fire, held it above his head, and threw them in the above the gate. He then picked up another, made it catch fire, and threw it again, in another window. Quickly, a scream emerged from another side. And another. Small fires started to scorch inside, and in one case their source of oil evidently lit up, since the screams and the heat were much more pronounced behind that window. I shuddered at the thought of the ends of the defenders.

Several others finally picked up the same idea and grasped whatever discarded spear they could find, or simply their own, scraped them through the burning oil, and threw them through the small myriad of windows that adorned the doomed palace. More and more screams started to pour out, instead of the recently constant barrage of arrows. Quickly though, our supply of spare spears ended and we were forced to take cover yet again. But we did it, we did it…

A second stream of Arrow Catchers emerged through the gaps, carrying all manner of equipment, from buckets of water, to blankets, and large planks. When they arrived they desperately tried to put out the fire. The water only made it worse, sputtering flames and made them lash back at some of the Catchers. Somehow, the combined effort of throwing water, dirt, and padding them with planks or debris helped putting out the fire. As the last flames dwindled out to a smolder, we already stepped inside the overturned interior of a wealthy man's abode. On the intricate carpets, behind the overturned tables, chairs, and statues, waited a fair number of archers. At the sight of the steadily thickening tumor of white and red shirted men, they fired their barrage of arrow. A dozen men instantly fell, while the archers abandoned their positions and moved to a stairway that led below the palace.

In a strange sense of collective organization, reminiscent marching ants, we evenly split up, heading towards the flowering wide stairway up, and the more common looking cold stairway leading down to the basement level. I started to head up, but a swift painful pull on my neck made me turn and follow my gruff, but intimidating partner down to the basement. The half dozen score of Arrow Catchers was standing still not far from the end of the stairway, seemingly fixated on something. My partner wrenched through the crowd and we came upon the sight of what seemed a crowd of girls and women, many of them fancifully clothed. The frightened women were being led into a tunnel of some sorts by the rebel guards. They kept guiding the women inside, even at our arrival.

And we did nothing.

It was an unspoken agreement that we would let them lead the women out of here. Each one of us brandished our spears, potent enough to slay each last of them, but we held back. The dozen of guards finally led the last of the little girls through the narrowly dug entrance, before making it collapse by burning the support. Fated they picked up their own spears and murmured their last words to each other. Then, starting with a cry from one of them, they all run towards us, in a mad dash to cross the storage shelter and skewer us with their weapons. They were answered with a flurry of thrown spears. In less than a few seconds, they lay punctured on the ground, blood spreading through the cold stone cobbled floor. The fight was over. I survived.

It was the end of a night. The jarring contrast between a day of torturous suffering and a night of inhumane butchering was too complex for my traumatized mind. I was only a follower, a servant of my masters. I only treaded the path they had laid out. They were the dictators of this world and of its inhabitants. And me.

* * *

**Author's Notes:** As usual, I'm lazy and I am helluva slow to update. Writing fanfics is not something of a regular hobby for me. But still, it is satisfying nonetheless, especially seeing how much I progressed in the English language. On this co-operative fanfic, I happen to know exactly how the story would branch out, when things would develop, and how the ending would have to be. Readers who made it this far, such as you, won't be disappointed. What they are going to be disappointed about, is the time I'm taking to get it that far. Perhaps I won't even make it past the finish line. As an author I am pretty irresponsible. 

What you as a reader of fanfics can do is to place a review on my chapter or story. What do you think? What do you like? What don't you like? Or do you simply want to cheer me on? Anything helps, for reviews are as gold to us authors. But I don't blame any readers for not remembering the storyline, or that they're pissed that I'm so slow. Actually, I don't need the reviews that much. Not as much as Sesshy's Girl 00. Her reviews to amount of words written ratio is half as much as mine, though I think she surely deserves a bit more encouragement. So if you feel like it, go take a visit to the partner-fic of this fanfic and check it out, and place a message if you can. My thanks to you for reading our fanfics.


	5. The Master's Eminence

**IMPORTANT:** This fanfic is connected with Sesshy's Girl 00's fanfic **Mistress of Tyranny**. To enjoy this fanfic properly, you should read my partner's fic too. Check out my favorites in my profile to access it.

* * *

_**Master of Corruption**_

_The Master's __Eminence_

_By RahXephon and Sesshy's Girl 00_

* * *

I was tired, achingly tired. Even with the end of that horrible night, and with the coming of dawn, our work was still not over. The city-wide rebellion had taken its toll on its inhabitants, and the soldiers from Kai, a prominent province of Kaihon. The slaughter of half of the city's men and women, the disappearance of a third, and the condemnation of the rest to servitude or outright (sex) slavery, wiped out the city and all of the dissent in the province. The city ceased to exist in its current form.

Thus, out of the ashes, the prisoners and slaves, such as me, toiled over the city to put out the fires or move away the rubble. It was tiring work. The Kai-jin wanted to prepare the fallen fire-scorched city to serve as a military and governmental stronghold, or so I heard from the Kaihon-jin prisoners. The late prominent riverside city of Pingsha ceased to exist. Out of the rubble and ashes, the impregnable Shinkofu would arise. For some of the prisoners, dreaming about the illustrious mountains surrounding the Kai's capital city of Kofu proved to be a sufficient distraction from the menial labor. For me, though, I had nowhere to go back. Even if I did, I was too tired.

At noon, as I was led with another group of neck-chained Arrow Catchers, I had a brief moment to come to grip with myself. I was not...a spy anymore. Instead, I was a prisoner, as much as any other prisoner or Han slave around me, wearing the same (now dirtied and worn) white hide shirts with red smeared numbers on them. How utterly relieved I was, not meeting the vulgar face of that...that Master Executioner. And his whip. And claws. This...this labor was at least something more humane, even if I might be stuck with it for the rest of my life. It was what I would deserve. Perhaps, deep in my mind, it was the only thing I ever wanted. Regularity.

No more pains of losing friends, of getting lost or of making deadly mistakes. The only thing I needed to do; was for my captors to point me to a direction and tell me what to do. I didn't have to think. I didn't have to be responsible for what I did. I would make new friends… with these other people, fated to slavery just as I was. Briefly, I looked over the other end of the chain my neck manacle was attached to. The gruff, harshly tanned brute walked in a relaxed and terse pace. He did not tired like the others. He held his pickaxe firmly and didn't let it sling like the others did. There was always something strikingly peculiar about him…but he was frightening.

He kept me alive, because his skill in battle was quite unlike any other. He was not so soldierly to rely on others or to stay in formation. Neither was he so crazed as slipping into storm and madness, like the Hmong or Han rebels did. He was trained, I was sure of it…I didn't know for sure, though, and I didn't know anything else about him. What was his name? Where was he from? Why was he…here? There were so many questions I wanted to ask. I didn't have the will for it. I was too tired.

Where I came from and what I did was for no one here to know. I was different from these broken, crippled, and criminalized men. I had lived in a different world, with different friends, and…a different love…

A sudden pang exploded in my heart.

How could I forget her so easily already! Asuka! Visions of her smile and her flowering strawberry hair warmed my blood and gave me a tinge of a genuine smile. It quickly broke at the thought of the aftermath of the Third Impact, my hands harshly squeezing her neck, and her...rejection?

My memories were confused. When I looked back over the last few days, one of the only things in my mind was Asuka. Though, it was all futile…even if I did come to terms with my...desires for her, she was no more. This small realization didn't affect me at all. It was all over. The world I had lived in, and the world where she lived. Ended. Still, I shuddered, knowing I was responsible for her to cease existing.

I... murdered her.

This time, my heart wrenched tightly, as if Asuka had penetrated my chest and was squeezing my heart to pulp. Sudden tears started to form, to which I quickly wiped out lest the guards reprimand me. I kept telling myself that it was done; I couldn't do anything, and more nonsense. It didn't pick me up. The tears kept coming. The thought of never being able to be with my…love, even if one sided, even if I had to endure constant abuse, was tearing me closer to the abyss.

It had to be stopped. I willed myself to push those thoughts away and made myself blank. I concentrated on other things, on unrelated things, on the pain, and on the weariness of my neck. As—… the _girl_, was gone, and so were my thoughts about her. Gone.

It wouldn't help much, but at least the coming labors would provide something else to have in mind. Something other than those crimes I committed…

Our lead supervisor, the same one who led the others and me last night and the same one who flung a spear through my chest, yelled, "Alright, get your pickaxes out but don't swing 'em at us! If you do, we'll not only tear your guts out but also the rest of ye! Now, go to that crater and recover Fuji-sama's shit!"

Everyone calmly headed over to the crater, where a lot of what I identified as Tiger Guardsmen were guarding the premises. What were we suppose to dig…? I looked around at the others, who seemed completely unfazed. I didn't blame them though, since we were all tired. A quick yank from my chain started me walking. My partner was like all the others, as if they had done it before. What was this 'Fuji-sama's shit' anyway?

"And don't ye put anything in yer pockets or I'll personally toss you in Fuji-sama's gaping hole!"

Expecting to clean up some kind of sewage system or a pile of bodies; I was instead greeted by the glare of a huge and magnificent golden crater. Everything was just… _pure gold_! Like a glob of dried white chocolate, the crater and the surrounding broken stone buildings were covered with an uneven layer of glittering metal once molten. The insane amount of the valuable substance baffled my eyes and several other Catcher's too. Prisoners from other units were already all around the crater, chipping off hand-sized gold nuggets and putting them in sacks to be taken to the caravans, where they were taken elsewhere. A dozen more wagons were arriving, waiting to receive even more chunks of gold from the crater the size of an Eva's fist.

Still marveled by the sheer amount of flowering gold; we started to chip off the surprisingly soft layers from the surrounding buildings. My mind was filled with boggling questions. Where did this come from? How did it get here? Of course, it had to be related to the comet I saw last night, that streaking golden light emerging from the horizon and falling in the city. The searing intensity and heat as it passed over me, confirmed a small suspicion. The ball of fire was actually a ball of molten gold.

I had seen a number of amazing things in this world… the most incredible one being a humongous dragon that ripped the ranks of the Kai. This Fuji-sama seemed to rival it in power. I was simply too curious, even in my exhausted state. As much as I wanted to jump in a soft bed and fall asleep, I had to ask it, even if everyone else seemed miserable in their work.

I paused in my chipping, briefly coughed and then meekly asked to the surrounding workers, "Erm… fellows…can anyone explain _what_ Fuji-sama is?"

No one responded. Everyone kept cutting and no one bothered to raise their heads to acknowledge me.

A sudden worn voice, from somewhere behind me popped in the Kaihon language, "Keep diggin' you youngster!"

Quickly, I returned to my duty and continued to break the hardened gold layers over some kind of window. I glanced over a brief bit to my partner, who seemed intent to break apart the layer of gold, and the burnt broken door behind it. He never paid a single bit of attention to me. He annoyed me. I didn't blame him…after all; we all had all experienced terrible events. We had enough.

The same voice asked again, "Say, kiddo… you don't know about our forefathers and ancestors?"

No. They weren't even mine!

"Ah, my apologies to you, kid. Each our past is our own...I won't ask questions of where you come from, what you did, or how you ended here."

"Th-Thanks…"

I briefly looked behind my shoulder, to see the one who answered me was a rather frail old man. His hair was lengthy and unruly, his beard equally so. Already, half of it was graying. Somehow, he seemed the sort who would have certainly collapsed during the events of yesterday. But, so would I…

With a sheepish smile, he continued, "My name is… ah, you can call me Ryougaku. What is your name… young boy?"

I was always the boy. The kid. I was not offended because I was just that, though. I was still too young.

Trying to chip a hard to reach corner, I replied, "My name is Ikari, Ryougaku-san. Just…Ikari."

"Ikari-kun eh… That is an unusual name to choose. But I won't ask…", he told me in a strange reassuring tone. He then returned, "You asked _who_ Fuji-sama is, did you? Of all the great heroes of our past, his was the most tragic and undeserving. Still, his brilliance graces us to this day. Gifted with the greatest legacy, for he was the closest."

The old man then heaved his pickaxe and lowered it down in a powerful strike, spreading out lots of small chips of gold.

"Boy. To let you _understand_ who he is, you must know the whole tale. It is an exhausting story to tell. I do not know how much time we have for us to talk. I will keep it as short as I can."

I heard him inhale deeply. I wondered how he would experience this air, this smell of cold metal, of burned wood and of the faint tinge of fresh bodies. It was a deeply unnatural and oppressive smell.

"It was an age of civil strife. For hundreds of years our provinces, no, nations waged a constant war after the fall of our last Heavenly Ruler. Many voices spoke of evidence that there was not a shred of divinity left in Him. The vassal nations under His rule each claimed the throne, or proclaimed independence. All chains had been broken. The war had started."

"Of the fifty or so _Daimyo's_ who ruled, half of them invaded their rivals soon after the outbreak. The rest were dragged in by the ensuing spreading of chaos. The strongest nations conquered the weaker ones and when those nations were finally spent and exhausted; another nation would invade them in turn. Some held back strongly in the face of great might, while others banded together in a common will to survive. Peasants either died or were drafted. The old _Samurai_ gradually began to be replaced by a newer generation of younger, proven warriors."

While I was working, I had noticed that I was not the only one listening intently. Even my chained partner seemed a bit distracted by the tale.

"In the end, after five generations of constant warfare, eleven giants had emerged. Great war leaders were raised to power such as Uesugi Kenshin, Tokugawa Ieyasu, and the Great Tiger Takeda Shingen of Kai. Of one special line is the Hojo, who were successively part of the rulers of what are now the wealthy Kanto provinces. The Kanto region was the wealthiest part of the island of Kaihon. Their mountains were filled with gold and silver and of other metals. Of all the nations, they had most of the metal. There were many tales of their military might and of their wonderful armies of swordsmen, with their blades gleaming against the reflection of the mountains of wealth."

"Near the end of the age of civil war, after Tokugawa had broken the back of the Kanto armies; he called forth the Hojo Daimyo and his relatives. He slaughtered them all, even the one betrothed to his daughter. With the deed done, the great Tokugawa was poised to conquer the wealth of Kanto but more importantly the valuable metal. From the mountains of metal you could craft the highest mountains of weapons. From the mines of gold you could obtain the most brilliant of the heavens known to touch mortals."

"The citizens of Kanto, be it the peasants, the merchants or the clerks, did not accept the subjugation of their will and the loss of their brothers in battle. They held strong and out of the ashes of the Hojo a self-proclaimed adopted cousin arrived. Fuji of the skies."

At the mention of the phrase, my body suddenly convulsed. Immense light began to pour in my eyes, blinding them and spiking my head with an incredible amount of pain! My consciousness started to wheel, until I suddenly collapsed; my world changed in ways unknown.

* * *

**The Eleven Warlords - FUJI OF THE SKIES - I**

* * *

"_My love, your mournful expression does not fit your serene__ moonlit face. I beg of you to think more lightly._"

"But…but…how could one as humble as myself think light of your inevitable fate? I wish you had not put on the Warlord's robes on that fateful day…"

_I sighed with unrestrained emotions of sadness. Oh, the woes of fate. Each passing cycle of night and day__ increases the burden on my frail existence. The weight of taking __charge__ of the wealthiest nation in the Glorious Isle of Kaihon__ proved to be formidable against my meager foundations. Countless of rivals had either challenged me directly or undermined me subtly. They have slowly, over the course of taking over the mantle, chipped away the parts that had defined me._

_Unconsciously, I reached for my left leg, ever hoping to experience a touch… But it was not so, I __deferred__ to myself. The ancient, forgotten gods have faded from the Heavenly Ruler. With it, they have taken away everything we __cherish for__. Even though the flesh remains, it was more of a mercy for the monk assassin to succeed __in__ cutting the blade through my entire upper leg. That day, the gods __had__ severed a piece of my soul, leaving the shell to rot._

_I sighed again, knowing that it would not matter at the coming of dawn. My soul… shall sunder._

"_Yumi-chan, it is done. I have stayed doubtless in my destiny. The path __that__ lies ahead__ there is little else but to tread it._"

"Fuji-sama…"

"…"

_I cleansed my thoughts and focused on the inevitable that would take place tomorrow. I sat relaxed as my __ever-faithful__ love brushed my hair in delicate detail. Despite the grim tidings, I could not help but enjoy the memorable ways of her grooming. Her comb streaked gently through my __locks and__ her hands stroked softly __through__ the many fibers, tying them in an intricate pattern, fitting for a Daimyo. The light of the moon streaked over the smooth cheeks of my greatest love. How dearly I had wished to brush them with my palm. I let loose the breath I held in, breaking away from my trance._

"_I shall proceed to the command tent, my dear. I do not wish for you to worry endlessly for myself, for I am not worthy of such reverence. Please, __lie__ down and retire for this night. I may as yet be at your side in the morning dawn._"

_I had stood up from her gentle __embrace and__ strode to the fixture that held my full battle armor. Staring at the frightening black mask for only a brief moment, I unclasped the heavy black cloak from its back. The full weight of the Hojo clan pushed against my arms, as if it was rejecting my embrace. Caring little, for I have become conditioned to it for some tim, I put it on my shoulder._

"I bid you a good evening, my Lord. Stay safe, please."

"_That, I shall. Sayonara._"

* * *

"The skies will look grim tomorrow. With our forward castles isolated and bypassed, we have to rely on the shadow of Mount Fuji to shield us from their overwhelming numbers." 

"Can we not reconsider retreating to Odawara Castle?"

"We have had this discussion many a times. We must face them at the end of these mountain ranges or risk encirclement and starvation."

"Surely we can reason with the Lord."

"Even great as he is, he may not be able to afford wasting so much time with us."

"Do not be diluted! Fool he may be but his confidence radiates through even our very hearts. It is this wrenching _fear_ that has proven fatal to all the other clans!"

"… However dishonorable it may be, we will prove a service to both our nation and our subjects by stopping the wound while it still but only trickles."

_Watching my retainers pit themselves against the valor of my general reminds me of snakes circling a bear, ever snapping, but only driving the great creature to even greater rage. __Despite that__, I thank each and __every one__ of these snakes for the position I hold today, even if I regret ever taking it. Snaking my eyes past each of my loyal servants, I shifted my heavy cloak before motioning for attention._

"_My servants, I must advise you to heed the words of my chosen general. We all aspire for the radiance of the __heavens and__ in such light our mortal lives is of less worth than the cause of the Hojo clan. Our clan. My clan._"

_Heedless__ of the __ever-increasing__ weight on my shoulders, I stood up from my simple chair and purposely strode over to the other side of the table, where the map lay. I could feel each pair of eyes on me__ noticing the fluid way I __moved or__ how my cloak streaked through the invisible currents of the souls it brushed. With a small flourish I threw down my palm, right in the middle of my adversary's camp._

"_Do not despair, for even if we fall before the next moon__ our deeds will reverberate throughout the realm of Kaihon. Even if we might succumb under their wave of men, other clans or factions may decide to prey on our weakened foe. The Kanto nations do not serve __us but__ rather it is we who serve the inhabitants of our lands. To give up at this stage, where we still have the power to do great __actions is__ a disgrace to our honor and our soul. I ask of you to look inside yourself and see what it is you truly desire for __yourself and__ for your honor."_

_I looked sternly in each of their eyes, gauging __the__ truthfulness in their __will and__ concluded that I had not been graced with better company. I loosened the grip of my other hand on my cloak in relief. Still, the weight would not wash away._

_I nodded before continuing, _"_My servants, we must let them envelop our territory like ants circling the edge of a rice bowl. The passageway we must defend stands for our best and only opportunity to staunch the flow of invasions, though, from the west at least. It may not be long before others come to our aid__ once realization dawns that the unstoppable beast can be halted. Grace yourselves, for you are heroes in the coming conflict. Many poems will surely be ascribed to our actions in the coming battle no matter how the outcome might be. I only ask of my loyal subjects to keep their hopes in their hearts. That is all."_

_The wind whistled under my dark cloak as I stepped away from my companions, and in to the cold night. My last destination for this night was her warm embrace. Or so I had hoped._

* * *

_Sleep did not come easily this night. Even in her warm embrace, the only feeling that crept on my shoulders was cold. Billions of ants crawled __upon__ my back and on to my shoulders, piling up ever higher and higher, until my body could not withstand the weight. There __was__ many a __time__ that I had simply wished to rip out my arms and cut off my shoulders. Alas, I could not, for not __one but__ five separate but cooperative nations were depending on my brilliance._

_Depending on __whom__ they might ask? The ancient cloak I possess far outweighs the meager accomplishments I had achieved in my life__ before adopting it from my patron. The subjects__ who cling on my leg, __my arms and__ especially my shoulders, have never stood by themselves without support. Our nation was diseased from the very first moment our ancestors chipped the first vein of gold __off__ the vast mountains that encase the Kanto region to the seas. From then onwards we had grown to a position of immense wealth in our island, with the arrogance to match it. For the last seven hundred years, our nations were drunk from gold, silver, and copper._

_Great dread would await me in the coming dreams. __I feared of witnessing the struggle that was to occur in the battle of tomorrow.__ I would sit at a low hill, placing my entourage well near the actions close by. Forty thousand glimmering bronze-scaled soldiers would face as one at the edge of a vast forest__ spanning the passage through the mountains. __The soldiers__ of Kanto placed much confidence in the quality of their equipment, as there was much of the precious metal wasted upon it. They would imagine being wondrous heroes__, which__ would face against foul demons._

_I knew better, of course. Our long history of employing other nations to shield ourselves from conflict left us with excellent traders and __diplomats but__ no military tradition to revere. For e__ach every other powerful nation had their own pride in their soldiers.__ From the resilient warrior monks, to born and bred cavalry riders, to the surprisingly professional army of trained peasants. __And__ our strength, our only strength, was the material we used. __But__ not the men that served. That was our hidden and most fatal __secret and__ it was about to be uncovered in the battle ahead._

_The army we would oppose __was made of__ veterans. They were suited to maneuver through thick forests and charge uphill with their light equipment. They would slaughter my inexperienced and encumbered men in the thousands of duels that would follow. Arrows upon arrows would seep through the heavens and over the palisades, burning both the wooden defenses and the flesh of my men. Their elite cavalry, the dreaded riders of Kai, would either go around the defenses and strike the lightly defended rear, or stream through the inevitable gap that would appear in our defenses at the front. The white tsunami of riders would envelop each __swordsman__ in its path, for swords stand no chance against a frontal charge. I was deeply enraged by our own arrogance and wasteful nature as subjects of the Kanto region, which led to the ill-advised banishment of the spear as a weapon for the poor and impoverished. How could one think of fighting cavalry effectively without lengthy weapons? I could only pray that the bamboo spike traps would calm the tidal wave long enough for it to turn into a trickle._

_If not, then the combined weight of Takeda Shingen and Toyotomi Hideyoshi would crush my shoulders in pieces. As I slumbered into a dreamless sleep, the only thought that comforted me was the prospect of being liberated of the immense weight…_

* * *

We sat by the fire, nursing our worn muscles and trying to push down the dirty, filth-ridden rice everyone called food. My only comfort was that other soldiers ate the same. I woke up from my strange dream a few moments before. There was no explanation for what had happened to me and the others simply stated that I had just gone limp. It was distressing that I could faint so easily. What if it happened when I was forced into battle again? I looked at my grubby bowl and turned queasy again.

The city was deep in the desert of Han, hundreds of leagues away from the nearest shore. The prisoners told me that there was a river dozens of leagues from here, which would be the main supply line for the front. What little cattle and crops there had been in the area; they were all burned down and devoured soon before the Kai army came. Rice from the 'homeland' was therefore our only means of food for the time being.

There was never another time I was grateful for the comforts of my old world. How disgusting! I could barely eat, as I was constantly trying to suppress my gag reflex. On top of that, my neck was still bruised from being jerked hard earlier and all of my muscles were screaming from all the physical exertions from last night. I desperately needed to rest.

Gulping down my cup of water, which was at least drinkable, I lay down on my small pile of crushed rubbish and pilfered fabrics and put my standard issue blanket over my body. I closed my eyes, and just… tried to rest.

…

"Ya'know, when are they goin' back to their islands?" a gruff worn voice started.

A similar rough voice replied, "You cockslab, 'dis not a raid you see! Them Kaihon-jin 're seriously trying to conquer Han! What else are they all the way out here, far away from the Ringed Sea?"

"This is crazy, brother. Do they be actually thinking they'll succeed? Kaihon be just a bunch of islands, while Han is as great as the tallest mountains."

"Never crazy, ye hear. If it's one thing Kaihon is right, it be that all of Han is nothing but lazy peasants and barbarian ways. And to think them Brotherhood of the Empty Way stared in Han…"

"_Don't _speak about the Brotherhood again, piss drinker. We didn't defect to the Sect of the Flaming Path fer nothin'."

"…Look where that got to us. Chained together by our necks, we be suffocating not in a long while I hear you."

"At least we be dying for our village."

"Everyone be dead…the blood of all our brothers and sisters now lies forever stained to the burned down wrecks of our huts. This was not be what we been fighting for. All the youngsters, our sons and daughters, first toyed with, then beheaded and pissed upon, now nothing but bones. I be never daring to go back to our home again…"

"Don't think that! We be not dead yet, I hear you? There still be them other villages, I know it, and there be others hidden throughout the mountain region. I bet them Brotherhood be cowering right now for our Flaming—."

"SHH! Not another word. Now sleep you cocksucker."

"Piss off, you suck goat cock."

"Quiet." someone else interrupted.

"Hey, go plow some goat you—"

Ugh, I would never fall asleep if this continued. They kept talking and talking; I couldn't tune it out because they were all speaking in Japa—, I mean Kaihonese. Still, just listening to their idle talk gave me a lot of new insights. It seemed our company or what was left of it, is going to be merged with three or four other companies and form the new 33th Arrow Catcher Company. Our squad would probably be the fourth squad within the company. That meant we would probably serve as pack mules or trench diggers. At least I wouldn't get to fight anymore…

"Folks, quiet please!" the old man I remembered as Ryougaku dropped in.

"…"

"Now, now folks, stop arguing. We're in this together. Whatever our past, none of it is here. There will be no more nonsense about family or any loyalty to any entity, be it a province or a cult. Don't you understand? _We_ are your family now. Provided we stay together, we can work together to make the best of this."

An adolescent voice butted in, "Bah, the best of it, you gramps? Everyone knows how Arrow Catchers end. No one ever escapes the army and you're in this for your entire life. No one gets out from this miserable fate of fighting and slave labor. Why not end it fast and run against a spear in the next battle?

"What's your name, young man?"

"It's Kenji..."

"Look then Kenji, even in my age, you need to have hope. Don't ever give up. Take every blow, do every task and avoid any trouble. I swear to you all, you'll all make it out alive and free after this. Ah, you can call me Ryougaku by the way."

"…"

"I don't believe you."

"You don't know me." Ryougaku replied smugly.

I could swear I could feel his grin from under the covers. He continued, "Well then, first I think it's best to tell each other our names and our skills. We can get to know each other better later on but first we need to organize ourselves."

One of gruff men said, "Organize ourselves? Are you too old to be thinkin' straight? Why not jump against 'nother spear in them next battle and get this goat plowing all over with? Everyone knows nobody escapes them Catchers duty."

"Oh, oh…that is what they _want_ you to believe."

"You mean people escape?"

Ryougaku chuckled before continuing, "Hai. You're looking at one of them."

"YOU escaped?! Then why are you still here gramps?!"

"Because my last team didn't cooperate. We had a plan but it fell apart. You know, back in the beginning of the invasion, it was easy to change your Arrow Catcher shirt into a regular army uniform. It happened quite a lot in the heat of battle. But the army is more thorough now, with all their papers to check who is who. These neck manacles are new too. I ain't heard anyone ever getting it off. It's not designed to be opened again."

"Swell, real swell gramps. Then we're never be gettin' out of here."

"As I said before, we got to stick together and cover each other. Also, we have to look around and figure out how to escape. Have patience…"

"Like you, gramps? I ain't waitin' twenty years until me hair be grayin' to escape!"

"Yeah, you said it brother! I be not waitin' to die either in this here fuckin' hell."

The old man asserted himself by raising his voice and saying, "Listen to me, you two oafs. You won't survive past the next battle, you hear me? It is that attitude that gets half of the Catchers killed in the next battle. To stay alive beyond the next battle, you have to stop acting like the other Catcher squads and actually get to know each other. We need to escape out of this hellhole and find a safe place to settle down. Isn't that what you all want?"

By now, I had raised myself from my resting place, intent on following the discussion. I saw Ryougaku's neck partner, the person who shared the other end of the neck manacle, nod at the old man's question. I saw Kenji, who must have been ten years older than me; nod frantically and so did his seasoned looking neck partner. My own neck partner knelt silently in front of the small campfire but he nodded nonetheless and I followed in turn. Seeing that they were practically outnumbered, the two raw looking brothers couldn't do anything else but nod too.

The only ones who haven't reacted at all were a pair of tanned, lean looking men, who seemed distinct from the rest. Ryougaku asked, "And what about you two? Do you want to work together to stay alive and to escape here eventually?"

They stared at each other, before the bald one slowly spoke, "Me not... and he not... speak. Shiu tsue Han lieu wen?"

Everyone looked confused, except for Ryougaku, who replied to the shock of everyone, "Han lieu tsue wan gan nao."

"You cocksucker, you know how to speak Han?!"

"Hey, when you fight in this land for a while, you'll be bound to pick up the language from the other prisoners." and then Ryougaku turned back to the two Han, "Yi zeyang muo bi ga li yan?"

"Ye yan."

"Okay, so the ten of us agree then. Let's introduce each other. Tell us your name, and what you can be of use. I'll start. I'm Ryougaku and I've been around here for a score of years, so I know every thing going on around here. I can't fight as well anymore though, since my arms were injured badly in an earlier battle and I'm getting old..."

After a few seconds, Ryougaku's young neck partner started quietly, "I'm...I'm Kaoru."

Kaoru?! Instantly after hearing the name I thought of the white haired boy. This couldn't be _him_ right?! Looking more closely, the idea seemed more and more preposterous. This young man, no boy, didn't seem so calm and deep like the other Kaoru. It was just a coincidence…

"I don't know anything I can do well… at least nothing that's useful here..."

"What? Then that be fuckin' great. A senile gramps locked together with a skinny boy who can't be doin' anything."

Ryougaku interrupted, "Hey now, that's not true. I heard you saying that you could stitch clothes, right?"

"Umm…yes, but that's not—"

"Then you can stitch our wounds."

"I've never—"

"Don't be. Even if you only handled the needle with clothes, you can still patch us all up. Us Catchers have to fend for ourselves, you know. We die so often that them field doctors just don't bother with us. You'll be our own field doctor."

Sighing and looking down, Kaoru eventually replied, "Hai, Ryougaku-san."

"Well then, you're next, Kenji-kun."

"Ah, alright. I'm Masuda Kenji, nice to meet you…uh, anyway, I can't really fight and ehh..." he lowered his voice before continuing, "I ended up here because of smuggling Ginroot and other stuff."

"That's okay, Kenji-kun. You can take care of any items we can get our hands on and trade them with the other Catchers or soldiers. The trade is quite lively here, you know."

Kenji's neck partner took over and introduced himself. "I'm Fujiwara Jin. Used to be a regular Kai spearman."

"What?! A fuckin' suckin' spy!"

"Now wait 'ere you gorilla's, I'm not like 'em anymore. Why do you think I'm chained to Kenji-kun here?"

"So what did you do to end up being a Catcher?" Ryougaku asked.

Jin smirked before explaining, "Tore out the eyes of my sergeant because he bitched at me for being such a piss pole. Well I showed him."

Some of us turned away in disgust. I couldn't believe he admitted it so easily. That smirk was… unsettling. Now I know why Kenji sat as far away from his neck partner as he could. I couldn't blame him.

Ryougaku then turned towards the two large men and asked, "And you two, tell us about yourselves. You're from the Sect, right?"

The bearded brother started, "Don't be talkin' 'bout them Sect around here, I hate them bastards. I hate them for gettin' me here and I hate this constant itch under me neck."

"Don't mind my cocksucking brother. He be Garaku. I be Moroku. And aye, we be them Sect members, so don't be tellin' the entire swallowing camp."

"What's with all the…rough language?", Kenji asked.

"Don't be messing with our talk! This is how we be talkin' down south, goatsucker."

"Look, me and Garaku especially had them hard times in the rebellion. We be losin' lots of our family and brothers. So don't tell us how we be havin' to talk and which mouth to pee in to."

"All right." Ryougaku added. He hesitated slightly before asking, "What rank did you two have in the Sect? Were you two Warrior Brothers?"

"Used to be but then we be both reaching to Priest Monks."

"Priest Monks?! But you two are…are…too young, too big, too—"

"Shut it gramps. We be hearin' this shit too often and we don't need to be hearin' it from you. The Sect's different from them cow slaughtering Brotherhood. The Flaming Path be not flaming fer nothin'. We be fightin' animals, soldiers and priests while them lazy Brotherhood be still sitting in them temples all day chanting the same fuckin' thing over and over. Don't fuckin' worry, we can fry any Han shaman's head. And don't be fuckin' spreadin' this around either."

"Oh, we certainly won't. Having Sect members, let alone Priest Monks, is beyond lucky. Maybe the Gods be smiling upon us."

"We piss on them all." Garaku said.

Ryougaku then moved on to the next pair; which was my silent neck partner and I. Everyone turned and stared at us and I began to feel uneasy. Seeing that my partner won't go first, I prepared to go first.

"I'm Ikari. And I don't think I am very useful around here..."

"That's nonsense Ikari-kun. I may be old but my eyes are still sharp. I saw you fight yesterday. I saw you all fight yesterday but you, Ikari-kun; you fought like a fierce tiger. Your technique is sloppy and untrained, you tire too easily and you're darn lucky you haven't been dead already. There's many young folk who fight like you, with all instinct and no brains but that won't help you last very long against a more trained opponent than rebels and conscripts. Still, you've got the heart of a warrior in you, boy. We'll shape you up, I know we will."

"But I don't… really want to fight."

I really didn't. I was useless, and dangerous. What if I poke someone else by accident with my spear? What he said was true. I was too reckless in a fight. My meager EVA combat training didn't go well, in the kind of fighting I would be doing.

"Don't give me that humble nonsense. We're hundreds of leagues from the nearest shore, far away from any proper Kaihon city. This is a war camp, so act like a fighter, you hear?"

"H-Hai…"

Ryougaku smiled at me before turning to my neck partner and asking, "And you, big one. What's your story?"

"…"

"You have to have a story. At least tell us your name. Or any name we can call you."

"… It's Saiji. I don't talk much, but I can fight. That's enough."

"Well, that's all eight Kaihon-jin. Now over to the two Han-jin. Bi xue Han ya xien?"

"I Wangan Bao, he Wangan Lee. Me bald, me Bao. He hair, he Lee. Remember. Okay?"

Ryougaku nodded and said, "Okay. Fue yao ban di chu chuen xia?"

"We from fight house. Style of Invincible Arm. Fight can no weapon, with fist. On good day, we block spear with knuckles. On bad day, spear kill us. We not good."

"That's okay, any Han-jin martial artist can fight better than the average Kaihon-jin soldier."

Ryougaku then stood up, looked at each of us and smiled. Scratching his stubble chin, he broadly proclaimed, "Well, we're luckier than other groups I guess, having such a diverse and competent squad. We've a medic, a smuggler, seven competent fighters and someone who keeps you together, me."

We spent the rest of our time at the campfire to listen to the old man outlining his plan before we were sent back to scrape more gold. These were the people I would be working together to survive with, in and out of battle. I had no doubt that I would be heading back into battle again in some other place in Han. Everyone told me Han was too huge for Kaihon to conquer in a few more weeks. I believed that. It might mean years and years of campaigning, digging trenches, trying to dodge the arrows I was supposed to catch and all in all, staying alive.

It was not an appealing life to lead. Ryougaku was already this old…Did this mean I would be destined to stay a slave forever?

* * *

**Author's Notes:** Yep, this chapter has been very slow to come out. I don't write very frequently, and if I do, there are tons of other writing projects that I could devote my attention to, including several unpublished original fiction. This work is still the one I regard as my most favorable, so I don't intend to let this fic die off. I've got too much fun stuff planned out.

I know there are some people out there who like us to speed up the pace and get to the really juicy parts, but I want to have a good fundament for our stories and write a worthy fantasy piece. There are also some who are questioning where the romance is, but again I will answer that this is going to be a huge work and the romance tag will be justified. To give you a sense of scope, there will be at least 200,000 words before I think I can get an end. It might take 400,000 instead. Or perhaps 600,000? That's about the length of a fantasy trilogy, but I'm not a fan of dividing fanfics on this website in seperate 'books'. I think it's retarted, actually. Anyway, it might take a long while for some of you to enjoy my story, but it will be worth it. You might have to wait a year or five before we finish.

If you liked what I have written so far, please leave a review. I am encouraged by all messages I receive. Thank you for reading my fic so far, and I hope you will enjoy my future work!


	6. The Master's Fidelity

**IMPORTANT:** This fanfic is connected with Sesshy's Girl 00's fanfic **Mistress of Tyranny**. To enjoy this fanfic properly, you should read my partner's fic too. Check out my favorites in my profile to access it.

* * *

_**Master of Corruption**_

_The Master's __Fidelity_

_By RahXephon and Sesshy's Girl 00_

* * *

"_There __are__ a few things that need to be done first in an Arrow Catcher squad. The worst thing you can do is sit around and do nothing__ getting yourself killed in the next battle because you __have not__ prepared and drilled. See, half of the squads over there, still sitting by their fire and doing nothing? __That rabble is__ going to be dead in the next battle."_

"_First, know your own supervisor. Being a supervisor is considered a __punishment__ duty of some sorts. Therefore, many supervisors __are__ uninterested, bitter, or bullying. If we're lucky, we have an uninterested old soldier just a few years from retirement. If we're not so lucky, we'll have a soldier eager to get back to his companions and will try to get us killed as fast as possible to achieve it."_

"_Second, we need to establish a chain of command within our squad and company. If we don't get ourselves together and stay like a rabble, we'll get ourselves killed soon enough. __I will__ assume to be sergeant, since I know most about the operation here. Now, it __is not__ enough for just our squad to be organized, we need to get the other squads in our company order. __Then__ we need to decide who will be in overall charge of our company. Our own homegrown captain, if you will. All this must be done secretly or at least discretely. The Kai-jin in command would not like to risk having us seeming to attempt an organized escape. So stay silent, and don't give lip in front of any regulars. It is for the sake of survival."_

"_Third, we need to get ourselves better equipment and provisions. Arrow Catchers are prisoners and so we have the highest mortality rates. The army doesn't provide us with anything __other__ than flimsy rags and blunt bamboo spears__, which__ they distribute when there's a battle. Just these aren't nearly enough to be able to survive a campaign. We need flint and a stockpile of wood, for we won't always get a warm fire like this so easily. We need rations that are compact and last long, for the rice the army provides is always too meager. Above all, we need better equipment. Most supervisors don't care what kind of armor we wear underneath our uniform, provided it's not better than theirs. Quality armor is hard to find either way. Most equipment Arrow Catchers use __is__ scavenged from the battlefields. We've only been in one battle so far and we didn't have an opportunity to strip anything useful from the dead. That's why we need to steal anything we can get our hands on, either something that is directly usable, or something of value that we can trade with the other Catchers. Metal knives are the most useful tools you can possess. Any other weapon that's bigger and not concealable would be confiscated."_

"_Let's divide ourselves now__ to take care of things. Kaoru-kun and I will talk with the other squads__ to get them all organized. Kenji-kun, since you used to be a smuggler__, take__ your neck partner Fujiwara-san and talk around with the other Arrow Catchers or regular Kai-jin soldier__. See__ if you can trade anything. Since we don't have anything of value, the Wangan brothers and the Priest Monks should look around and see if you can__ obtain anything useful. That leaves you two, Ikari-kun and Saiji-san, to find some more information about our supervisor. It's important to know if he's going to be a danger for us or not. Most low-ranked __Kai-jins__ who are punished with taking care of a company of Arrow Catchers__, find__ the task too daunting. Others would take pleasure from it. We need to determine which of which our supervisor is. Now let us get to it."_

That was easier said than done. I dreaded the task I was given. How could I ever face that…that monster again, after he betrayed me. I saved him from the Hmong in that great battle, only for him to stab me in the chest afterwards. As my neck partner and I carefully walked through the debris and fallen buildings; I could hear several groups of soldiers talking and laughing amongst themselves. Silently, we crept past them behind walls and piles of rock. Occasionally, I would poke my head over and see if our supervisor was around. Saiji, meanwhile, held the chains that connected us closely, to avoid making any noise.

"I don't think he's here Saiji-san..."

"Tch, who are you anyway? We're going to be stuck together for a while, so we better get to know each other."

A creeping sense of frustration came over me. "You rarely talk but you're stronger and you fight better than the regular soldiers. What are you? A Kai-jin soldier? Or are you from another province?"

Saiji-san looked at me in a sharp gaze and answered briskly, "Who are _you_ then, young boy? No Kaihon-jin speaks your accent and no Kaihon-jin has blue eyes. You fight recklessly, as if your soft body is bigger and tougher than it really is."

Was I that obvious?!

For the first time since we were stuck together, I feared the tall man who was always within six meters of my position. He never talked. He never argued. He never complained. Nevertheless, I could see it in those eyes, those sharp and knowing eyes. They saw too much. They thought too much. The words he had just spoken only touched the surface of his thoughts about me. What else had he discerned from me?

More importantly, what was he going to do with it?

With those same eyes; he continued, "Everyone has their secrets. We don't talk about them here now that we're Arrow Catchers."

Do you hate me, Saiji-san? Was I too weak? Was I too foreign? Was I too young? He was always by my side, silently helping me around, even in battle. Especially in battle. His form was solid, and his sweeps were effective. He fought not so much to keep himself alive but to keep my own self-intact. Sweat poured from his muscles but his breath was still under control. How lucky was I, to be stuck with a competent fighter?

How unlucky was I really then, to be stuck with a dangerous and secretive man?

_Can I trust you?_

How dearly I would have wanted to ask that question. I didn't ask, because I was afraid how he would respond.

"Move on, boy."

"H-hai…"

We sneaked around some more throughout the Arrow Catcher camps, but that man…what was his name…

Darn, I didn't even remember his name. Did he even give it? And where was he? He wasn't in the Arrow Catcher camp, even though it was his main responsibility. He might be at the other parts of the camp… off limits to a slave like me.

"He's not here Saiji-san, so let's return."

I did not have to turn around to see him nod.

"Besides... I've met him before. I know him. Trust me on that."

I could faintly feel my fist clenching, at the thought of what he did to me that day. He would kill me on sight, I was sure of that. He wouldn't feel safe otherwise. There was no other choice than to kill him myself.

Kill him.

Myself.

"Huh?!"

What was I saying? Did I actually contemplate murdering someone in cold blood? Had I become such a monster now? I looked down at my hands. They had become so rough, callused and cut these past days. My makeshift sandals had hardly made things better for my feet either. The dozens of leftover bruises and cuts over the rest of my body had probably changed me as well.

Moreover, that didn't include how much I had changed in my mind as well.

For I didn't even object to killing that damned snake of a man.

All I needed was a chance, but first I needed to return to Ryougaku-san.

* * *

We walked through the desolate rubble of what used to be the heart of the city, before it was captured and rebelled. The rough yellow desert colored everything, from the roads to the buildings. Some were blackened by fire or blood. It was hardly a city anymore.

Once...once, the nation of Han was at peace. Their emperor ruled, their army fought amongst themselves and their citizens lived their lives in harmony. To see this destruction… was Kaihon so bent on conquering Han that it should destroy everything it could not? What was the point of keeping these huge stretches of desert land? How much more cities have fallen in the same way, their men slaughtered and their women raped then shipped off elsewhere?

It was torture to simply live in this world. Did anyone ever smile? Several children were skipping around, picking through the rubble for a broken toy or a bit of food. None of them smiled. Was it because of the hunger so evident in their eyes? Was it because they lost a parent in the fights? There were so many reasons to be miserable in this universe, that it was pointless to pick one.

Why was I in this miserable world anyway? A meek mud crested boy glanced up at me in wonder, before scampering off. Briefly, I tried to sort out my jumbled memories. There was something about the end of the world.

Third Impact. Ayanami. The Angels.

All gone.

Still, an existence that transcended humanity and reality had dropped me in this world that seemed so savage. Why did they trouble themselves to save my life, when all the others ceased to exist? Why weren't they saved? Why couldn't they live on? Misato-san, Akagi-san, Ibuki-san, Touji-kun, Kensuke-kun and... Asuka. They were all people who knew me and who I knew. And there were more people who knew me and even more who didn't know me. They were all gone from existence.

I was the only one who was left, and I didn't even belong here. For what purpose was I brought here? Why did I continue to exist?

Despair and loneliness sprang at my heart. How long must I continue to suffer the abuse and injustice? It practically seemed like this world constituted nothing but screaming agony. All the pain, all the hunger, all the blood…what purpose did it serve?

Tell me, beings that transcend reality! TELL ME!

Ugh. What was I thinking? I needed to keep myself focused. The brutal conditions barely allowed me to have the luxury of thinking ahead.

"Ah, Ikari-kun and Saiji-san, have you found out if our supervisor is either lazy or a dangerous bastard?"

"Um, we haven't been able to find him in the camp. He's somewhere outside, Ryougaku-san."

"Hmm…that's not odd. Soldiers don't like to get stuck babysitting us, usually. They want to be with their friends. At least he's not the type to have his pride go over his head and think he has an entire command to do his bidding. We'll probably be safe from him, for the time being."

I looked at Ryougaku-san. He was still sitting at our fire and seemed to be sewing pieces of cloth. His neck partner sat far away. As far away as the chains allowed, even. Did Kaoru-kun despise Ryougaku-san somehow? He seemed sullen. Downcast. However, I would have been the same, in a time long past. I was different now. This time, I would fight through this entire damned world. I needed to cut through the rot, starting with the supervisor.

"Ryougaku-san, I know him. He's not to be trusted. He's traitorous and deceiving. He'll kill me if he sees me."

Ryougaku-san paused in his work and glanced sharply towards me. I could feel Kaoru-kun and Saiji-san's eyes against my skin, seeming somewhat surprised at my admission. Not only that, but the implications also had no doubt started to go through their heads.

"Ah, young boy… Would you like to explain?"

"No."

"Understandable. I will rely on your honor, for whatever an Arrow Catcher's honor is worth."

"We are all comrades. I would not lie to you about this."

"Wise, boy, wise. Now, come help me with this stitching, if you want to sleep with a cover over your head. It's too cold and rough to sleep at night, especially when we're marching."

I sat down close to his side then accepted the needle and thread. Saiji-san started to reach for the cloth but Ryougaku-san stopped him before ordering him to carve spikes out of hard wood. Soon enough, we settled in a comfortable rhythm of work. A sense of peace embraced me. It was the first time in a long while that I worked because I wanted to, not because I was forced to. I sighed in calmness.

Suddenly, Ryougaku-san put down his tools and stood up. I glanced behind me and could see three pairs of Catchers, with the bright red number 33 across their chests, walking towards our campfire. Quickly, I put down my tools as well and made place for the approaching people. They stopped near the fire and glanced at Ryougaku, as if they knew each other.

"I'm grateful for your response to my invitation and for joining me tonight, squad leaders."

A burly one, attached to a bored looking youth, replied grinningly with,"Hah! Still alive, after that disaster, old man?"

Another 'leader' with bright eyes, who stared at Kaoru for a moment spoke, "I gather you have a proposal to us all."

"Indeed. Sit men, sit. Let's talk."

The three pairs of men sat closely together at the fire. A man from the third pair sat next to me. His shirt stank and his nose seemed to have been broken badly once. In spite of that, I felt a touch of unfamiliar power wash over me, as he looked down on my form. It was as if he was assessing me… In what way, I did not know.

Before I could consider it more, Ryougaku-san clapped and began, "Men of power, you have gained the leadership of your squads. So have I. We will discuss the choices, which lay ahead, and how to deal with them, to safeguard our own survival. Perhaps, also, our freedom."

At the mention of freedom, almost everyone's eyes glazed over, including mine. I noted that Saiji-san and Kaoru-kun stayed emotionless though. Did they not want to be free? Or were they just hiding their emotions?

"First, we will have to decide who will lead the 33rd. All four of our squads; I mean. We still have five or six more squads of Catchers joining us later on, after the army sorts out their prisoners. Damn and bless their incompetence. In the meantime, we best organize ourselves first. We'll be in a better position of strength, to force the others into cooperating with us."

The burly one spoke again, "Still playing the same ol' game, eh, old man? And I suppose _you_ would be the best choice to lead us all, 'captain' Ryougaku?"

"You know me well, Sanada-san. Fellow Catchers, are you willing to defer to my leadership?"

The one next to me spoke, "There are stories about you. Most of them are despicable, but…"

"Oh Arakashi-san, I've heard some things about you as well."

The two eyed each other for a time, while the others waited in anticipation.

"You are not worthy to lead even one man but I feel I am the only one of us four who object to this decision."

"You observed correctly. I have Sanada-san's and Kuroyama-san's support. No matter what you have heard; I will not forget my duty to you all. I hope you will not forget your duty to me."

The three other squad leaders nodded.

"Let us talk business then," Ryougaku-san said, then continued towards me, "Ikari-kun, Saiji-san, take the materials and finish the tents elsewhere."

Taking the hint, we gathered the materials and slowly moved away to an unoccupied fire, not far away. I wasn't good with the stitching but Saiji-san silently pointed me out where I needed to start and stop. It took us some time to fashion five sets of tents, from several rags and torn sheets of curtain. In the meanwhile, Ryougaku-san and the rest of the leaders discussed and argued amongst themselves. It was not long, before I settled on a cushion of fabric and closed my eyes.

I could not sleep. Though tired and aching, my emotions were whirling through my mind like a tornado. Everything was just wrong. The air smelled different. The sand was too grainy. The plants were no species I recognized.

Nothing seemed the same but some things were identical.

The languages were the same. Kaihonese sounded almost exactly like Japanese. Even the odd, few kanji I saw here and there were the same. How could this be? Even more discomforting was the fact that some of the names sounded familiar. Tokugawa. Kai. Kanto. Fuji-sama. There were so many similarities from this world to my own, that it was definitely not a coincidence. Something was behind it, I was sure of it. If something or someone shaped things this way, it must have had a reason to.

Why?

No one answered.

The despair inside me welled up again. I was alone, defenseless and at the mercy of my captors. I felt empty, completely empty. All my friends and family were gone. No one knew me anymore. There was no Asuka to slap me, no Misato to tease me and no father to look up to and hate. Nobody knew me now. Nobody understood me.

It seemed such a far away memory now. NERV, father, the Angels and the Evangelions. There were so many deaths and so much suffering but at least it had a purpose. At least _I_ had a purpose.

Now, that was gone too.

I hugged myself tighter. The cold of the wind slipped through the air and seeped through my bones. There was no purpose for me here. I simply didn't _belong_ here.

For a time, all my struggles ceased to have any importance. It was as if I didn't exist.

_No_. I could see. I could hear. I could feel. The people around me could see me, hear me and feel me. I existed. I was alive and nobody could take that away from me. A shiver ran over my spine, as I could once more feel the warmth of being alive.

For now, I did not need a reason to stay alive. To live was enough.

Though… my heart still ached. It was still too lonely. There was so much suffering in both worlds but the presence of friends in my past life made it worth it to keep on living. Now, there was no Ayanami left to stare at. No Misato to tease me relentlessly. Most of all, there was no Asuka to torment me.

Asuka, please come back…

Why abandon me so?

Tears slipped from my eyes. Softly, I rubbed them away and turned around. It was so infuriating and so frustrating to have her around me. Now her absence left a huge hole in my heart. It still ached. I knew she would never return in my life but still my heart ached for her companionship. Already, I struggled to remember her face and her voice. Was it so long ago already? It might have been a week, or a month, but already it felt like years. I felt I was losing more than mere memories. I was losing the last remnants of a world, of a civilization grander and more powerful than the mightiest nation on this planet.

I couldn't allow myself to forget. There was a wealth of knowledge in my head, unique in this barbaric land and I couldn't allow myself to move beyond without sharing it. Lessons, people, history, theory, art and more.

I thought back to the children playing and scavenging in the ruins. They were dragged into a war that they had not wished. Now, they would grow up with hunger, war and death all around them. They would lead their lives without the innocence they deserved to have in their childhood. The least I could do with my wretched existence was to change the world for the better. These people had never lived in a world, where peace and prosperity existed in harmony.

I could show them. I could change them.

Could I…? Of course not. What was I thinking? I would be lucky to stay alive, much less get out of this hellhole in the middle of an invading army. Still, I smiled, the first time in so many days. I felt in some ways that I had rediscovered who I was.

_I existed_.

The half-cut moon shone bright against the backdrop of an unfamiliar night sky; its edge razor smooth, as if a God sliced it with a sword. Sleep came wistfully and thankfully, dreamlessly.

* * *

"Wake up! Wake up boy!"

The sound of Ryougaku-san's yelling penetrated suddenly into my mind and I lifted myself up very groggily. I felt awful, tired but I knew there would just be more trouble in store, if I stayed asleep. Grudgingly, I stood up, taking my time. Ryougaku-san was already waking the others. Next to me, I saw with some surprise that Saiji-san was already standing nearby, detangling the chains that connected to our necks. Soon enough, we approached our central campfire, already smoldering in the morning sun and sat down with each other.

The others had already brought small piles of material they somehow managed to trade, scavenge, or steal. There was some thin fabric of assorted colors, which would make good clothes in the desert. There were several hard chunks of solid stone that could be used in several ways. There was also a pile of solid wooden branches; a few crudely cast bronze knives, some string and countless more items of use.

Ryougaku-san, who was grinning at the sight of our supplies, started. "Greetings to you this morning, lads. That's a fine treasure you all dug up yesterday."

Then, his grin dropped and he continued, "Now, we've got word where we're heading next and I can see right now that we don't have enough food. Often times, when we're marching, the army doesn't give us enough rations and we're the first to suffer when they have a shortage. So scrounge up some food, if you can and save it."

Kenji-kun, our smuggler, spoke up, "Food is hard to come by, sir. There's hardly any rice and everything else from the locals will spoil. Dried and salted meat is too precious for even the regular army to come by."

"Kenji-kun, the locals always have something that won't spoil. They just hide it from us because they don't want it to be stolen. Make sure you find it, boy."

"Hai."

"Before we talk about our deployment, we will need to discuss who will lead our squad. I'm the unofficial captain of the currently under strength 33rd Arrow Catcher Company, so you better be calling me Captain Ryougaku! I won't be sticking around with you a lot, though. You'll need someone else to lead this squad. Is anyone volunteering?"

Everyone was silent. We all looked at each other, thinking someone will go ahead and stand up. Most of the stares eventually settled on Fujiwara-san. Since he used to be in the regular Kai-jin army, he was the natural choice to lead us.

"What? Just because I was in the army, doesn't prove I can do a good job at keeping you alive!" He exclaimed.

The newly appointed captain grinned. "You're the best out of this lot. You know all the spear drills and formations. You're also most disciplined out of this lot, no matter how you ended up being a Catcher."

"Let me remind you I tore out the eyes of my last sergeant. I have no intention of becoming one myself, just so one of those foul mouthed Priest Monks can do the same to me!"

"Hey you piss swabbed—"

"Silence! Fujiwara, all the others are a worse choice than you. Kaoru-kun is stuck to me, Kenji-kun and Ikari-kun are too young, Saiji-san is too damned silent, the Wangan brothers can't even talk Kaihonese and the Priest Monks are too damned irresponsible! Fujiwara, no, _sergeant_ Fujiwara, you're the only one who's knowledgeable enough and strong enough to take up the task. I expect you to drill this sorry lot into a cohesive unit. Do I make myself clear, sergeant Fujiwara?"

"Hai!", he acknowledged and even bent his head sharply before resuming a relaxed position as if nothing had happened.

"Right, now on to the main point. There's word that that useless fop Oyamada-sama is taking a detachment to capture the Han city of Yangan a hundred leagues further inland. We all think it's reckless but he's too eager to prove himself. Lord General Nobukata-sama is only willing to give him four regular companies and two Arrow Catcher Companies. We're one of them. That means one out of three will be slaves, excluding the baggage train and Oyamada-sama will be worried of a rebellion or escape. That means he's going to try to get rid of us in any battle."

"The regular captains will hold him in line, however, he makes the eventual decisions and I know how the Samurais and lords despise our kind. We'll be fighting the hardest battles, especially when we attack Yangan. I do not know how large the city is or whether it has stonewalls. Others are already asking around. For now, it means we will have to train in formation combat and drill with these sticks. We'll get our marching orders shortly, I presume. Expect to march out within four days and prepare for the trip. Get some good boots and a sack if you can. Now move out, the Kai-jin will come shortly to get us digging out some ruins."

We all started to stand up, move towards the quartermaster nearby and receive our meager breakfast. Before I could take a step, a firm hand stopped me in my tracks. Turning around, I met the weary eyes of Ryougaku-san. Close behind was Kaoru-kun, holding the chain close against his chest so it wouldn't drag around the dirt. His eyes were oddly empty.

"One thing, Ikari-kun and Saiji-san."

"Hai, sir?"

"About our supervisor, sergeant Isumi. I haven't heard any bad stories about him except from you Ikari-kun but if you really think he's dangerous, then I will allow you two to take him out."

"What?! You mean—"

"Quiet boy!" Ryougaku-san whispered harshly, "I know what you're thinking. Killing sergeant Isumi directly, is the worst way to solve this problem. If the army finds out we did it, then at best, we would be driven even harder. At worst, we would all be executed."

Then… what could I do if I couldn't kill him? He would definitely recognize me sooner or later.

"Captain… what should I do, then?"

"Be creative. Work through someone else, or just try to discredit Isumi enough to get him to court-martial. Just don't make it look like an Arrow Catcher did it and we'll be fine with the other two supervisors. Understood, Ikari-kun?"

"Hai, captain."

"Then get ready for another day of work."

We split apart and headed for breakfast. Already, my mind was swamped with the responsibility thrust upon me. How was I supposed to 'disable' that cruel and dangerous man all by myself? I couldn't kill him but I doubted I would have managed to. I needed to take care of him in another way then but how?

I had absolutely no idea. For once in my life, I was completely clueless.

With a dazed mind I went through breakfast and went with a work detail to clear the rubble of a ruined city section. Saiji-san, the stronger of us two, picked up the fragmented rocks and handed them over to me, where I would dump the rocks on the cart. The lifting was backbreaking but it was easy on the mind.

How could I make Isumi go away? The only way to guarantee that he would stay away from my life was to get him killed but how could I do that?

"Saiji-san," I whispered, "how… How can we kill our supervisor?"

For a moment, I looked at his hidden face. Was he actually contemplating a plan or was he simply disgusted with the task forced upon him? Would he follow my directions, ignore his conscience and destroy another man's life, all because of my word? His expression revealed nothing. I had no way to comprehend whether he trusted me or not. Why should he? He had more reasons to be wary of me than to trust me. I was an unknown to him, a mystery. How did he regard me?

_Can I trust you?_

I shook my head. I couldn't ask him that question yet. "Please, I need your help. We'll both be doing this and he will really kill us all eventually."

Finally, he spoke, "…Make it look like an accident."

"An accident? Like serving him foul drinking water?"

"Too obvious. If he's the only one who gets sick from poisoning, then it will become obvious that someone has done it on purpose."

"How about pushing off some rubble from a damaged building on his head?"

"Too risky. Supervisors are never alone, so they will immediately investigate. We put ourselves too much at risk if we strike directly."

"Then how, Saiji-san? If we can't do it ourselves, then we need others to do it for us but that would involve too many people."

He took a full breath, before looking directly in my eyes. I couldn't face him, so I looked away. After a moment, he instructed, "The sergeant doesn't have to die, for us to achieve our purpose. Like the captain said, we only have to dishonor him enough to get removed from his position. Make it seem he was involved in a theft. Turn his friends against him. Make someone else become his enemy and he will take care of the problem himself. Strike without anyone knowing."

"I… we could do all of that. We could try all of that. We'll start immediately, okay? As soon as we have free time we'll do everything we can to sabotage him, all right?"

With his nod, we turned back towards our work. It would be a few hours before we get served our lunch and my mind was already spinning on overdrive from all the ideas I could use.

* * *

The pair in front of me left and went for a spot in the shade, after both of them received their bowl of dirt-ridden rice. Meekly, I approached the cook, with Saiji-san close behind. He already handed me a rough ceramic bow, with the same warm rice he served the other catchers and added a strip of what looked like dried fish. Before he was finished handing Saiji-san his own bowl, I started to talk.

"Mister cook, sergeant Isumi demands double servings of what he usually gets."

"Ehhh? Who'er you, damn cocky kid? The sarge always picks up his servin' early, and he never's complainin' about more than his portion!"

This was it. There was no turning back. I started to act.

"Damn the heavens you stubborn stink! He DEMANDS double his usual servings today. In fact, he wants double servings every day from now on."

"What?! He can't do that to me! Whatever's left in my pot is my own ration. I'll starve if I have to serve the sergeant extra!"

"Dumb pig, that's not his problem. Cut back on the regular Arrow Catcher's servings then."

Oh heavens, I expected it would be hard to convince the cook to relent but this was tougher than I thought. If I failed and Isumi gets word of it, I would definitely get in trouble. The tension in me made me sweat my palms. Can't the cook just shut up and do what I told him to do?

"I can't do that, they'll hate me and complain! I just can't do this! I need to talk to him and—"

Putting up the best-enraged face I could manage, I approached the cook and slapped him cleanly. He simply stared at me in absolute surprise. I knew it was a risk but I hoped on the cook to be intimidated by an Arrow Catcher who seemed to have some authority.

"You will do NO such thing, cook. The sergeant ordered that we bring today's meal and he does NOT want to be disturbed. Furthermore, he specifically said he would only say it once and NEVER AGAIN. So if you complain about it tomorrow, or next week, or even next year, he'll HACK OFF your head immediately and will force another cook to follow his commands. He simply doesn't have time to deal with you. Now, prepare the sergeant's serving or I'll report you to him."

Grudgingly, he took a large plate and dumped a large handful of rice, some fresh looking vegetables, and a liberal amount of dried fish. The cook glared at me in absolute hate and spat at my chest.

"That's fer you, you arrogant son-of-a-Han. You can tell Isumi that he—"

I slapped him again, surprising him yet again.

"Don't talk bad about the sergeant behind his back. EVER."

"Ah… you can give the sergeant my highest praise and sincerely request his mercy, boy."

"See that it reflects in his suppers. Remember, no lip from you or you'll be a dead man."

Taking the extravagant plate from him, I turned around and parted through the small crowd of fellow Catchers. Some seemed surprised but the ones belonging to my squad noticed my silent plea and began to reassure their fellows and not spread it around. Saiji-san and I walked out of the mess and navigated through the rubble of the fallen city. Ryougaku-san and Kaoru-kun were directly behind the corner and motioned us to come over. They were already munching their food, spitting out grains of sand and dirt every once in a while.

"Well, boy?"

"I've got it. Hopefully the cook will believe me and stay quiet about this. Here."

I handed him the plate that he had been eagerly staring at.

"Remember the plan, captain."

"Relax. I've played this game longer than you've lived. I know how to handle this. But Ikari-kun, are you sure you want to go through with this plan of yours?"

"I know it's risky, if we are doing a lot of things behind their backs but I think it's the safest way. We have to make it look natural."

"Hai. I guess you're right and it'll be a damned good sight, if you actually pull it off."

With that, Ryougaku-san handed over the plate to Kaoru-kun, who was staring less obviously but still notably at the food. That was not surprising, since it was four times as much, as we got to eat whatever scraps we could call our lunch. The pair started to move, turning a corner, heading towards a wrecked and drought-stricken garden that contained a few large tents. I followed them distantly and turned another corner so we would be out of sight but still within hearing distance. Ryougaku-san was already talking to the sentries and obtained permission to walk through.

Now, the next crucial part was about to begin.

"Sergeant Isumi, I bring to you the greetings of the 33rd."

"What do you want, old man? Speak or I'll cut you up right here!"

"I bring a gift to you with the compliments of our cook. We of the 33rd do not seek trouble and humbly offer you a share of our rations."

"Eh…come closer...yer willing to give me that much food, eh old man?"

"Anything to… keep an understanding between us."

While Ryougaku was talking with Isumi, I snuck around the back of the walled garden where their tents were. It seems the only sentry in the vicinity was eating his own meal but he was still dangerously close. For a moment, I hesitated. The chains, held by Saiji-san, could accidentally rattle, which would alert the sentry. There were three large tents, housing perhaps a dozen or more Kai-jin soldiers in total. Loose flaps, that wouldn't make a sound when opened, closed the entrances. Still, something could always go wrong. What if I stepped on a branch or what if someone else came in and spotted me?

Should I, or shouldn't I?

I was suddenly snapped out of my thoughts, by a slight tug at my neck. Saiji-san was already climbing over the broken wall, careful not to upset any loose rubble. Since the decision was made for me, I followed him and cautiously stepped over the broken stones. Slowly, we stalked a shaded path towards the nearest tent and slipped in without any trouble.

The heat from the sun and the stench of unwashed men assaulted me immediately. I almost doubled over before Saiji-san gripped me tight, to bolt me to the ground. Shaking, I nevertheless recovered quickly.

It was dark and musty inside. Several apparels that seem to be blankets were spaced out evenly. At the head were sacks that must have been used as a pillow but which also contained personal items. Saiji-san immediately went for a sack, untied the noose and rummaged through it softly to find something suitable to loot. I quickly went over to another sack and searched it as well. Dearly, I hoped that we wouldn't attract too much attention, with our soft rummaging.

When we were done in that tent, we slowly stalked out and entered the next tent. Again, we searched the sacks for some not-too-valuable items to carry away. Finally, we moved on to the third tent. We knew we had to hurry, since the sentry was almost finished with his bowl. I signaled Saiji-san with a sharp hand gesture, to indicate we had too little time to rummage through the sacks in this tent. Instead, we went to the most comfortable sleeping place in the tent. Two large sacks and a large pile of blankets under a pile of hay indicated that this was probably Isumi's sleeping place.

Keeping the time in mind, we quickly opened the sacks and dumped our collection of loot in them, before putting it back into place. Immediately, after we raced out of the tent, we saw that the sentry was gone. Almost panicking, I made way towards the gap in the walls but Saiji-san pulled the chains and grabbed me back inside the tents. Before I could ask him why he hurt me, I was suddenly silenced.

Voices were approaching.

From their speech, it seemed they were regular guards. When I listened to their dialogue, I instantly became worried. They wanted to retrieve some equipment in their sacks and that meant that they would enter one of the three tents.

_Why, why, why, WHY!_

Why now!?

The sound of footsteps came ever closer and the speech became more definable. Frantically I looked at my partner, who was sweeping his eyes over the equipment.

"What do we do now? It sounds like they are definitely heading for this tent." I whispered in an almost panicking state.

"Please. Should we knock them out? Should we hide under a blanket? We have to do something!"

The steps stopped abruptly behind the closed flaps of the large tent. The pair of silhouettes were gesturing among themselves. Any second now and they would enter, catching us red-handed. I had to do something, quick!

Though what could I do?! I couldn't meld into the shadows, nor work any magic. I couldn't hope for a distraction outside to pull away the soldiers. Any distraction I might do inside would alert the soldiers that a pair of Arrow Catchers had disturbed their belongings, defeating the purpose of all this subterfuge in the first place. No matter what I could think of, it all ended with us eventually getting caught.

_Kami-sama, help me!_

A strange and almost guttural whispering assaulted my ears. A spike of pain jabbed my eardrums. It was as if my ears were bleeding!

I shifted my eyes to Saiji-san and immediately felt some uncouth pressure willing me to look back in utter disgust. The sight was dark but also bright. The sense of air around him was manifesting into something _cold_ and _rotten_. The depths of blackness glowed intensity becoming ever brighter, forcing me to shield my eyes. The spectacle before me made no sense whatsoever but no matter how many times I rubbed my eyes, it still took place. Those foreign, maddening words were for the most part incomprehensible but there was a touch of familiarity about it. No matter how pained, my ears were straining to take in the words; the screeching undertones were not enough to recognize a few words.

He was speaking a language more ancient than Kaihonese.

Just seconds after the realization set in my mind. The globe of blinding darkness expanded and shifted its surface of swirling chaotic reflections. It deformed, shaping up in some kind of monstrous jaw. Before I could yell in terror its jaws engulfed me utterly.

_-QZUUEEZEHEEREHRRUUZHHHEHEEZETRSSSSEHREEEEZZZZRREEEECCTREZSTEEEREEZCEEESVREEEEE-_

LIGHT.

BLINDING LIGHT.

"Run!"

I suddenly opened my pinch-closed eyes and noticed we were not inside the tent anymore. It seemed we were suddenly back outside in the streets. How could it be?

"Ikari-kun, run! Patrol is coming!"

A swift tug from at my neck shook me out of the terror, which slithered over my body. Whatever had happened in the moments before left me entirely defiled. It was as if I was plunged in a bath of slithering eels and huge pythons, then just left to fend for myself. The fabrics of those unknown maws touched every corner and crevice of my body, I was sure of it but there were no signs I was _touched_ at all.

It still gave me shivers.

We ran until I ran out of breath. I half-collapsed inside an abandoned cot, while Saiji-san was recuperating himself. What just happened was amazing and horrifying at the same time. How in the world could he… and why now? Why did he never show this ability before, in battle or to escape?

"S-Saiji-san… you…"

Those familiar sharp eyes gazed over at my own, its tingle seemingly brighter than before. His bulky physique seemed unaltered but there was still a touch of… impurity. I half-wondered if he would kill me or simply cut off my tongue. There was no knowing what thoughts swirled in his mind right now. My arms were shaking from the unreal experience.

What are you, Saiji-san?

"That blackness, w-what was that? How could you do all these things? Please..."

For a split second, Saiji-san seemed genuinely surprised.

Finally, he spoke, "So you don't know…"

"Know what?"

His eyes cast downwards, as if trying to unravel the patterns of the soil.

"You are not a Kai-jin, nor a Kaihon-jin."

My heart tore at those words. Did he find out?!

"You are not a Han-jin, nor of any tribe from the Han lands."

His head lifted and his eyes stared almost menacingly at me. I unconsciously shifted back.

"Never speak of what you have witnessed, foreigner. I will keep your secrets and keep from speaking of your crimes and plans. You must keep your own tales of me inside you or I shall slit your throat. It is the creed of the Arrow Catchers."

He was dangerous. He wouldn't hesitate to kill me, if I gave a reason for him to do it. Still, I couldn't help but let out a question

"What you just did, Saiji-san… did you do it to—"

"I was merely saving myself from your folly." He cut in, "My reasons are my own. I can not allow a whelp like you stand in the way of what I must do, in the times to come."

My throat felt parched. He seemed and felt ten times more powerful than his usual self. Lethality oozed from his being.

Barely, I mouthed the question nagging in my head, "_Can I__ trust you?_"

A morbid smile appeared on his face.

"Trust is not the issue at hand. All that we have is mutual benefit. A dead weight at the end of my chain is a larger burden, than a lanky child like you."

I looked away, feeling safe enough to be relieved. He wasn't going to kill me.

"I… thank you, for saving my life. Thank you… for being there for me, for helping me cope with this."

Still wearing that damned smile, he stated, "We are brothers."

My crusted lips couldn't resist the compulsion.

"_We are brothers._"

* * *

**Author's Notes: **As an amateur author I am constantly discovering new insights every time I read or write a work of fiction. The latest nugget came to me upon reading the parody-ish fanfic _Shinji and Warhammer 40k_. Though we both write completely different fics, the basic progression of our main character would be somewhat similar. In reading this fic, I realized how utterly wrong I would be for paving the way for Shinji to become something more than human or a demigod. The essence of my fic was never about achieving perfection or recounting a tale of myth. I'm writing a tale of mythical proportions but it would have to be in its own flavor. The first person perspective Sesshy's Girl 00 and I use is a huge handicap, in conveying the epic nature of our story. However, it doesn't matter. We will weave our own tale in our own ways that will engross the reader in a world of fantasy and impossible things. Despite the magic and all the fantastic occurrences, it's ultimately about people and the lives they lead.

Thank you for reading my fic thus far. I have not have as many readers at the start but I am grateful for the ones who stick around. The slow pace is probably repelling quite a few readers, usually accustomed to fast-paced and casual fanfics. They have a right to seek something else to read. Asuka and Shinji haven't even met yet, so I can understand that hopeless romantics would be disappointed, by the still nonexistent romance. I hope that the people who turn away from my fic today will reconsider their decision another day, when the story progresses to the middle and end stages.


	7. The Master's General

**IMPORTANT:** This fanfic is connected with Sesshy's Girl 00's fanfic **Mistress of Tyranny**. To enjoy this fanfic properly, you should read my partner's fic too. Check out my favorites in my profile to access it.

**ALSO IMPORTANT:** You are allowed to view **Map 1** now that you have reached this chapter. The link is on my profile. Click my penname on the top left corner to access it. Please refrain from looking at the other maps until you reached the relevant chapter in question to avoid spoilers.

* * *

_**Master of Corruption**_

_The Master's __General_

_By RahXephon and Sesshy's Girl 00_

* * *

Our entire squad gathered at a quiet corner in the confines of a cordoned part, of the ruined city of Pingsha. Only Ryougaku-san and his neck partner Kaoru weren't present. The unofficial captain of our slave company was hard at work coordinating the new addition of Arrow Catchers in his company. Essentially, he wasn't part of 'our' squad anymore.

We were all exhausted at the end of a hard day of work, but we all knew we had to work even harder in our spare time. At the moment, all eight of us held a relatively straight branch of wood roughly the size of a sharpened bamboo spear. The ends of the sticks were deliberately blunted and smoothened to make it as non-lethal as possible. We all stood in a line for sergeant Fujiwara to pass us by and inspect our battle stance. After he finished, he walked back to the middle and faced us all.

"It's apparent that nobody here has been trained in formation warfare. Some of you actually know how to hold a stick, but no matter how skilled you are in duels and street brawls; you won't stay alive in the battlefield."

He watched us with a mischievous glint before asking, "Anyone willing to best me in a spar?"

Nobody dared to walk forward. The foul-mouthed Priest Monks were unusually silent. Was it because of exhaustion or apprehension?

"Well?"

Seeing that nobody bothered to volunteer, he turned and suddenly faced me. What did he want to do with me? Though…on closer hand, he was actually staring at Saiji-san, who next to me. The grizzled soldier grinned and said, "I saw you fighting the other day. Saiji, go ahead and face me."

He obeyed silently and paced forwards. The puddle of chains that connected us together at the necks began to rattle, but it didn't unwind and stretch yet.

"Fight me as you have fought against the rebels. Don't hold back."

As soon as those words left his mouth, Saiji-san began to leap forward in a sudden burst. He was charging Fujiwara-san! The sergeant seemed genuinely surprised and if not for a quickly aimed deflection of Saiji-san's thrust, he would have been bruised by the blunt end of the stick. Undaunted, Saij-san spun the back end of the imitation spear as momentum carried him past the ex-soldier and knocked him hard in his ribs.

"Ooph! Getting serious already!"

Quickly, Saiji-san circled back and dragged his chain with him, to prevent it being tangled in battle. Almost immediately, he charged forward again in the same manner. Still recovering from the blow, Fujiwara-san nevertheless managed to hold his spear in anticipation of the lunge. Saiji-san stretched and the point flew forwards, only to change direction at the last minute and turning into a horizontal slash. Fujiwara-san barely managed to bat it away, only to face another stab at his side. This time, he was too late, and the blunt end of the spear smacked hard against shoulder.

"Ouch! That's enough for now! Darn, that hurt."

The sergeant nursed his shoulder in pain, but strangely he didn't take off his smile.

"You're a damn good fighter, Saiji. Whoever trained you must have come from a respectable dojo. You've got many years more training than me and you're a much more flexible fighter. Now, face me again."

Obediently the heavily muscled man took his place, changing his stance in a more defensive pattern.

"However, all those dojo's are outdated. The enemies we fight these days do not fight honorably, especially the Han and the tribes. They'll surround you, gang up on you, backstab you and throw dirt at your face. Ever since a tribe first invaded us centuries ago, we were forced to grow up and fight in their way. It's called formation combat."

Formation combat?

Fujiwara-san grinned and leaned on his spear. He calmly ordered, "Ikari-kun, stand next to Saiji-san. Kenji-kun, stand next to me. Priest Monks; take Saiji's other side. Han brothers, stand next to me."

Kenji-kun and I moved over to the sides of our neck partners. The others took their own places, so that Saiji-san's and Fujiwara-san's sides were occupied. We all brandished our imitation spear and entered a battle stance. I stared uneasily at Kenji-kun, who looked uncomfortable and tired.

"Now, let's pretend we're part of a line formation. To make it simple, let only Saiji and me fight. Saiji, advance your lines until you're in fighting distance. Go!"

Uneasily we slowly moved forward, trying to match Saiji-san's pace. As soon as he reached a close enough distance he made a quick lunge, only to be swatted away by Fujiwara-san's spear. Unaffected, Saiji-san immediately came back with a wide slash, only to bump the rear end of his spear in my side.

"Ouch!" I never expected that blow and before I knew it, I was almost doubled over from the sudden stab of pain.

Saiji-san meanwhile was sufficiently jarred at the interruption that Fujiwara-san managed to penetrate inside his reach and knock the spear against his jaw, flinging him back against the ground.

"Saiji-san!", I cried.

His jaw was bruised, but he didn't drop his spear. He stood up as soon as possible and charged back forwards, trying another lunge, which was similarly deflected. This time he tried a vertical slash, only to be turned back and before he could stop himself; he made a diagonal slash, bumping into Garaku to his right side.

"Hey you cock hole! Watch where you're slinging that—"

The words stopped when Saiji-san received a nasty stab at his chest, pushing him backwards again.

"That's enough.", Fujiwara-san stated.

He held out a hand for Saiji-san, who took it and stood back up, rubbing his chest this time.

"Now, the reason I did this is to prove to you rabble that whatever fancy tricks, dojo moves or just plain brainless fighting you rely on to stay alive, it's not going to work on the battlefield. It might work outside of a pitched battle, but as soon as you face ranks upon ranks of Han spearmen, all moving in one straight line, you're going to get massacred. It's simple as that."

Slowly he demonstrated a wide horizontal slash. It bumped into Kenji-kun's spear at his left.

"It'll be dense. It'll be packed. Your comrades are at your sides, and more follow behind you. You can't go anywhere but forwards. When you're actually swinging your weapon, you can't swipe wide sideways or diagonally. You'll bump into your comrades. You can't leave your line. If you do; you'll get cut off and hacked from every side. Don't count on someone stupid enough to rescue you. There will be lots of screaming and lots of dust flying around. Everywhere around you are masses of armor and uniforms. You can't look past their heads, and they can't either. We have no idea what's happening further out there. It's not your concern. All you have to do is stand and fight."

Fujiwara-san readied his spear and lowered his knees. "I'm coming again. Ikari-kun, Garaku, cover Saiji-san's sides."

With that, he moved forwards with his line and began to pummel Saiji-san's hasty defense. Fujiwara-san swiped and stabbed at him in a measured pace. Eventually, he feinted to Saiji-san's left and aimed upwards, only for Saiji-san to accidentally turn his spear horizontally and bumping into Garaku again. The sergeant made a fast slash at his head, but I saw through it and batted it away.

"Good job Ikari-kun, that was well spotted. In a real battlefield you can't effectively defend yourself against an attack coming from the sides. That's what your fellow soldiers standing next to you are for. Fighting side-by-side means you'll support each other and look out for such attacks. The spear is this long for a reason. Your reach should be able to deflect an attack coming from your comrade's sides. Trust your brothers."

_We are brothers._

"Now, you ain't seen nothing yet. Since we won't get handed our bamboo spears until the actual battle – darned regulars too afraid us having any weapons – we can skip the parade and marching forms. We only have a few days until we march, and we might have to fight a week from then. So each day from now we're going to practice strokes. Just strokes, but only the ones that won't bump your fellow soldier."

Sergeant Fujiwara faced Saiji-san with a serious eye, and remarked, "It's the hardest for trained fighters to unlearn almost everything they've been fed. However, it's necessary to stay alive."

"Everyone, stand in a line. We'll practice…"

* * *

"This is another thing we need to do. As long as we're Arrow Catchers, we're going to be continuing to fight with bamboo spears until the moment it breaks or we steal another weapon. After a battle, we have to turn in our weapons. There will be moments when our bamboo spears break before we can get another weapon. There are two things you can do."

Fujiwara-san pointed the branch he was holding to a wall and stabbed hard against the solid surface. The stick snapped and splintered. He turned around and showed us the broken stick.

"Bamboo reacts in a different way, but just like this stick, it will break easily. So how do you fight after the sharp edge of your only weapon splintered away?"

Nobody reacted. I shifted uneasily; all aware of how many spears I had picked up, broken, and discarded in my previous fights. Some times I simply slammed myself against an opponent and yanked his weapon away while he recovered. Sometimes I just beat a foe with a blunt object or even with my fists. It was how I fought in the Eva. It seemed natural then. It seemed foolish now.

"Don't act foolish, but don't throw away your spear."

The grizzled ex-soldier proceeded to turn around his spear and presented the opposite flat side of his spear. Then, without warning, he stabbed the blunt end into the jaws of Kenji-kun swiftly but not too hard.

"Ouch!"

Kenji-kun muttered and rubbed his jaw, while our sergeant grinned.

"A stick is a stick, but it has a longer reach than your fists. When one end splinters, use your other end. You won't be able to kill anyone, but you can disable a person enough to defend yourself and steal his weapon."

Fujiwara-san proceeded to walk up to a pile of debris and motioned us to come over. He sat on a broken solid rock, which seemed to be part of a heavy decorated table. Fujiwara-san knocked against the stone and smiled.

"Now what I am going to show you here is an old Han trick. We Kai-jin are too prideful to lower ourselves to their barbarian ways but years of continuous fighting has taught me otherwise."

With another piece of rock, he chipped against a protrusion until it broke off. Taking the arrow tip sized stone; he proceeded to roughly refine the end into a slim cylinder. He then made a hole at the very end. Everyone watched in silence. Nobody knew exactly what he was doing, but most of us had some idea what he was making. When he finished with the hole, he brought out a small pouch and took out a string and a short piece of bamboo.

"Look closely. You tie the string in the hole at the end of this spear tip here, so it won't come loose. Keep it somewhere save and hidden. Don't let the Kai-jin soldiers find out. When we are about to fight, we will be issued our bamboo spears. Take the blunt end of the spear and make a hole at the junction closest to the end. Then, take the string; put it in the hollow of your spear, and let the string come out of the hole you just made. Pull on it until the cylinder end of your spear tip fits in the bamboo end. Tie the string up around the shaft to keep it from slackening. There, you just made yourself a stone tipped bamboo spear."

With the short piece of the bamboo he made stabbing motions, as if he was holding a real spear instead of some kind of crude stone knife. Everyone was amazed at the craftiness of this technique. After he stopped, he fished out something else from his pocket pouch. Several eyes widened at the sight. A very valuable iron tip, probably cut off from a Han-jin spear.

"Stone tips will last you in a fight, but not against armor and bones. Therefore, steal an iron tip as soon as possible in your next battle. Chop it off, hammer it or shave it until it's usable, and take good care of it. Don't let it rust. Don't let any Kai-jin find out. Metal is very valuable to any Kai-jin. It's one of the biggest reasons why Kaihon invaded the Han Empire in the first place. We're just slaves and we aren't supposed to own anything. Remember that."

"As you know, we're marching out tomorrow. Craft a stone tip as fast as you can, but get some sleep. We march out at dawn, so we have to be ready a bell before that and pack our equipment. That is all, good night."

* * *

As soon as we were dismissed, I went and checked on my 'project'. Ever since Saiji-san and I messed around in the Kai soldiers' tents, I didn't need to do much else to let my desired course take fold. Isumi didn't get a court-martial, but his old friends distrusted him and kicked him out of their circle. Add to that, he recently caught up with diarrhea, which was not too uncommon in the camps actually. I had a feeling he would be suffering from it a lot more than anyone else. I mentally chuckled, when I saw his miserable face over at the refuse pit. Some part in my mind felt revolted for harboring such pleasure at seeing another person suffer, but I quickly reminded myself how much danger he posed, if he recognized me. The painful echo in my chest thudded in response.

There was a problem though. I made one particular blunder, I hadn't thought about before.

He knew there was someone out to get him.

Sometimes, I wondered if I was better off killing him, instead of using roundabout ways to get rid of him. I shortly shook myself out of those thoughts. I had already chosen my path and besides, all that was left now, was to take the final step.

How easy it was to ruin someone's life.

We crept closer towards his tent, making sure our sandals touched the ground softly. A quick glance behind me showed Saiji-san holding the chains closely – and silently – together. I paused for a moment. I could still back out. Just pretend that nothing ever happened and hope that Isumi-san would back off in his investigations.

No. He would find me eventually, and kill me.

To kill or be killed. I heard that line several times in my life but they were always in action movies or manga. To be in such a horrible situation myself, had just recently dawned to me and it goes against almost everything I was used to. This world, this chaos seemed so evil.

I was only a few more steps away from the unruly man's tent. A reeking wooden bucket lay close to the entrance. Holding the damning piece of evidence close to my belly, I entered the tent, checking for traps first. The man slept fitfully, most likely a leftover from his illness. I folded the bundle of cloth in my hands open to reveal the final measure of my plan. The soft metal glinted its metallic sheen through the various lights in the night. It was a fist-sized chunk of pure gold from the bellows of the great Fuji-sama. Kaihon was a nation where swords were too expensive except for the Samurai class. Fuji-sama needed – no, demanded gold to work. The Kanto region was the only area in Kaihon abundant with ores, and even they had to break their backs to come up with the massive amounts the semi-sentient volcano thrived on.

To be in the possession of Fuji-sama's golden blood, was a crime that would get your head lopped off the instant after your trial was over. The priests tending to Fuji-sama needed to recover every single nugget fired from its mouth.

Isumi-san might get some lashes and kicked out of the army at best.

His death might come clean and painlessly at worst.

I strove to avoid thinking in that direction. What happened afterwards was none of my business. I only needed him gone.

How it could come to this, I sighed. I planned to take it slow and steady, only painting him as unreliable and greedy, before pulling him into a stunt that would discharge him of his duties. However, when he poked around the base, when he asked around; I knew I was in acute danger. He had to be finished before he caught up to me. The rough nugget of gold I held was the only resort I could turn to.

I knelt and dug a small hole with my bare hands, taking care to keep quiet. Saiji-san was outside the tent, acting as a lookout. For several minutes I scraped up a reasonably sized hole. Placing the extremely valuable object in it, I covered it back up and placed some stray rags over it.

All that was left now was to get out. I slowly raised myself and stepped out of the tent. Before we could sneak back to our camp, I fished out a coin-sized nugget of gold and dropped it near the entrance of his closed tent. Isumi-san's fellow soldiers assigned to him to guard the 33rd would come by in the morning and notice it, I was sure of it. They would discover the larger treasure buried in his tent, and bring him to trial. He had no friends to back him up, and no credibility to plead his case.

He was already condemned to his fate.

If only I had been more careful and more thoughtful, then it could have ended better for the both of us.

With my business done, I nodded to Saiji. We slowly snuck back through the empty streets and alleyways, avoiding the occasional guard, to the direction of our camp. From all the labour, training, and sneaking, I was beyond exhausted. Every step trudged heavily on my bones, barely registering any more pain from my abused soles. Already, calluses were developing on my bruised limbs. I doubted I could play a cello anymore, if they existed in this world.

The empty, cool night air made way for some noise. At first I dismissed it as idle soldier talk, as there were plenty who stayed up late to gamble or loiter around. But all the chatting and laughing seemed to mask a different sound, one difficult to place. I already slowed my steps, my ears pointing to the direction of the sound. It was beyond the other side of the street. I glanced at Saiji, who shook his head.

_It's not our business_, he implied.

Still, I knew whoever those soldiers were; they were up to something. I wanted to know, out of curiosity, but also out of my desire to know as much as possible. After all, information is power, and I needed all the power I could get to survive in this world.

I made a sharp jerk with my head towards the direction, and simply crossed the street. Saiji-san didn't put up a resistance. I snuck inside the ruined building, the doorway already burned down. The sight of charred bones and scorched flesh made me cringe, but otherwise the cruel sight did not bother me as much before. There were burnt corpses everywhere in the city, and I had once helped to carry them into pits.

I navigated through the darkness, until I reached the other side of the building. The sounds were definitely more defined now. I could hear what a group of soldiers were talking about. Nothing interesting there. However, the other sounds became more defined now, and I could pick them up through my ears.

It was moaning.

A rough male, and I imagined a burly one at that, sounded thoroughly enjoyed. I instantly knew what was happening. He was having _sex_. But with whom?

The fainter sounds made itself known. They were quiet, subdued. They were more like whimpers, or almost silent cries. Sometimes the voice jerked, as if that person was dealt a slap. I listened more intensely, until I determined from what the sounds were coming from.

A woman – no, girl!

Carefully, I slid against the wall. I snuck towards the open window and dared a peek in the common garden.

Several soldiers, some naked, were relaxing around a campfire. Another pair seemed to be playing dice. Near a burnt pair of small trees was where the noises were coming from. The man making the most noise was a Kai-jin soldier, from the looks of the loose pieces of armor next to him. He was thoroughly grunting against the woman below him. I couldn't see who the girl was since the man's back was blocking my view. However, I could spot a chain leading to a white shirted older man leaning against a wall, inspecting some rocks. A bearded Kai-jin soldier next to him grinned and showed him a package.

It took only a few seconds to recognize the man. When I did, it all clicked.

Ryougaku-san, our unofficial captain, was bartering with some Kai-jin soldiers. I was always wondering how he managed to get all the wood, the cloth, and the food. It all made sense now. He used his neck partner to prostitute for goods!

But that meant that Kaoru was a girl, and she was being used!

My mind ticked at the revelations. How long had this been going on? Weeks? Months? Years? How did a girl managed to end up being an Arrow Catcher? How could she let Ryougaku-san use her like that? This was so… _wrong_.

Before I knew it my fists were already sore from my clenching. I wanted nothing more to step outside and punch their faces out for making this girl, who was surely innocent, suffer. She was so young! I had only seen Kaoru a few times, but he – I mean _she_ seemed so young! To suffer a fate like this is madness.

However, it was reality.

The worst part of it all was, I couldn't really go out and rescue her. I had no weapon, and little skill. I was unsure how I would fare against a regular Kai-jin soldier, but it was sure to get ugly. Outnumbered, I wouldn't stand much of a chance. Then there was Saiji. His eyes were full of disapproval. He wanted nothing of this. If I would go out there, he would knock me out instantly. This powerless in me drove my anger in flaming heat. There was _nothing_ I could do! I held back my tears.

* * *

It was the day of the march. Four companies of Kai infantry and two companies of Arrow Catchers stood in a column of roughly four abreast to each other. The sun was barely up and the air was already getting more sweltering by the minute. Sweat and faint refuse clung in each and every soldier's noses, which were mostly used to it all in their entire lives.

The Arrow Catchers were positioned in the middle of the column. While it didn't prevent us from escaping to the left or right, it hardly matters either way, since our chains make it hard to run away before someone caught us. Added to that was Major Oyamada's mounted bodyguard riding up and down the formation in a slow and guarded pattern.

Sergeant Fujiwara clung tightly on his pack in front of me. He seemed to look impassive, but the tension between his legs was very evident. What was wrong with him?

"Um…Fujiwara-san, is there something wrong?"

His head turned sharply towards me after he heard that question, and I was unprepared to meet that hard glance.

"Boy… this whole trip is could be a disaster. We're barely more than a thousand, with one out of three who are ill equipped and untrained. A samurai noble who is eager to prove himself but hasn't got in a single battle leads us. And do you know what's worse?"

Was it getting even worse?

"The Han city of Yangan is an impregnable, walled city built against a natural cliff. Numerous sieges and assaults were attempted against the city at the start of the war; none ever made a dent against its walls. It isn't called the Iron City for nothing, and it didn't get its name by the ore deposits only. Psht. The only reason Lord Oyamada thinks he can take the Iron City is because the front lines have been shifted, isolating the city and reducing its importance. Though, there are some things that really bother me. Why would he march out now, and with so few soldiers? He didn't even bring any cavalry or archers either…"

Saiji-san suddenly spoke up, "The commanding lords might have received intelligence regarding the city. It could be evacuated, or its army might have been drawn out to participate in a battle further away."

"Sharp, and exactly my thought.", replied Fujiwara. He continued, "Still, Lord General Nobukata is crazy to allot Major Oyamada so few soldiers, and the intelligence might not even be accurate or current. Is he trying to get rid of him?"

Another nearby Arrow Catcher replied, "Might be. Actually, that may be exactly what he is hoping for. He's sending him to his death with as few sacrifices as possible. He _wants_ him to die."

"What?!", his neck partner burst out, "I heard their bonds weren't that pleasant, but for the Lord General to discard him like that? And doesn't Lord Oyamada even realize how impossible his task is?"

"He thinks he can win.", stated Fujiwara-san with a grim undertone.

"W-we'll die…", I squeaked.

"If it's not a trap, then we won't have much chance seeing as we would be the first ones to scale the ladders to reach the top of the walls."

Word passed around us, as our conversation was relayed to my fellow Arrow Catchers. Some already reached the same conclusion and looked seemingly unfazed. Others, particularly the younger ones, were absolutely frightened and seemed to bolt at any moment. The Han-jin among us received a translation after a little while. They didn't respond. Were they already broken?

Suddenly, a pair of heavy trumpets sounded out from the front of the line. The march had begun. Everyone clung to their heavy sacks, as they moved forward. Wagons full of supplies and water creaked out as some sort of oxen dragged them. Finally the ranks in front of us began to move, allowing us to move forward as well.

"One thing comrades. If you need to relieve yourselves, hold it in until we stop for a resting break. If you leave the ranks while we march, they'll think you're escaping and they'll kill you. If you relieve yourself while marching in line, you'll receive ten lashes. That might not sound a lot, but every strike will hurt more than you ever want."

Phantom pain surged through my back as I relived some particularly gruesome memories from when I was stuck in torture. Violent images circulated through my head, as it slowly began to get overwhelmed by the need to lash out at everything.

Keep steady!

I squeezed my eyes shut and forced my head to clear out; thinking of pleasant scenes, like the view of the ocean, or the sunset in Tokyo-3.

Waves of calm entered my body. It worked, even though I could barely remember what Tokyo-3 looked like. Still, I smiled faintly and drug my pack of supplies forwards.

My pack was filled with scavenged food, wood, cloth, flint and even a short piece of bamboo. If I wanted to, I could assemble a short stone-tipped poke to use as an emergency weapon. Most of the materials, especially the pouches of rice, came from Ryougaku-san. The old man seemed to have an amazing way of procuring the most difficult to reach materials.

Just the thought of him sickened my mind. Every bit of food or equipment I received from him made me feel like wanting to puke. I could barely accept these goods, which were gained from providing pleasure from an unwilling girl.

What was worse was that I couldn't do anything about it.

It sickened my mind, even as I chewed on the jerky that I received from him. I needed all the energy I could get my hands on.

The march was supposed to take a week, following a slinging path through the gaps of the Taiyuan Ravine. Steadily, more and more brushes and plants appeared in our paths, though the landscape around us was still barren and dry. We crossed a site of abandoned ruins, its burn marks eerily similar to the empty shell of Pingsha where we marched out. Tellingly, nobody dared to sleep inside, preferring the harsh surface of the plains instead.

Some people passed the time by talking. The foul-mouthed Priest Monks were already feeling at home with some gambling savvy ex-soldiers, while the Han martial artists were chatting excitingly with their fellow countrymen in their native language. Saiji-san marched silently most of the time; taking time to ponder about things I probably had no idea about. Only a few times did Fujiwara-san approach him and they talked amongst themselves in short, hushed tones. A few times, I stepped closer to hear what they were saying, but they always pushed me out, saying they were talking about business for grownups. I felt slightly insulted. Even though I was fifteen, I had pulled my weight in the tasks and the killing. I felt I had every right to be in on whatever they were conspiring.

Seeing me get rejected for the fifth time, Fujiwara-san's neck partner Kenji-kun decided to strike a conversation with me.

"Hey…I'm Kenji. So um, you're Ikari-kun, right?"

I turned slowly towards the boy only a few years older than me. His smile was definitely forced. Was it because he didn't like me or was it because he was hiding his pain?

"Yes, I am.", I replied somewhat uncertain.

"So, I saw your awesome fighting when we were battling the rebels in Pingsha. You're really crazy, you know that? You struck out at everything with almost no regard to safety, and you moved so much that you tired easily. Where did you learn to fight like that?"

It was definitely not wise to tell him I learned how to fight as a pilot of a giant purple biomechanical mech with monstrous stamina and an amazing endurance for injuries.

"I…don't like to talk about that."

He frowned slightly at that, before continuing to smile.

"That's fine, half of us don't like to talk about ourselves anyway."

I couldn't afford to lose his favor. We were in the same squad, and we all had to rely on each other someday. My mind was frantically thinking on something to talk about, or something harmless enough to share with him.

"Though um…I can cook."

"Oh? What's a cook's apprentice like you doing all the way out here? Were you accompanying a Lord who kicked you out after spitting out his meal?"

"Um,"

"Hai, hai, you don't have to tell me anything you don't want to share. I was just joking with ya. So you must be really disgusted with the food we've been getting, right? Filthy rice, but also rotting meat, crumpled vegetables and moldy cheeses if we're lucky."

"Do we always get food this bad?"

"Hai, we slaves always get the worst, though the regular infantry barely gets anything better. Now the cavalry and the Tiger Guard – Kai's most proudest – get decent enough foods. Same with the commanders, though nobody gets a feast this far inland."

Kenji-kun's eyes suddenly focused on something far away. "Ah…to think I used to follow my father in his travels as a merchant. At least we ate decent enough each day."

"You wanted to become a merchant like your father?"

"The life he lead was certainly better than a servant or a farmer, since he was independent. He taught me how to read and write hiragana, as well as a little math. That's certainly something most can't boast about, eh cook boy?"

I was about to protest until I was reminded of my need to allay suspicion from myself. He might look suspicious at me for thinking I was able to read and write better than him, though that might not matter if they used different kanji in this world.

"Um, yeah that's quite impressive."

"How I loved to sail on those big trading junks on the trip to Echigo and back to Shangzen, always taking time to…"

Somehow we got ourselves in a comfortable rhythm, with Kenji-kun doing most of the talking. He talked about his childhood, from his time with his mother in his hometown in some province called Echigo, and to his journeys through the Kaihonese occupied territories of Han. I learned how vast the country of Han really was, and how each Kaihonese province raced further inland in some sort of macho contest to see who conquered the most.

What was frightening however, was how Kenji-kun and every other Kaihon-jin didn't know why Kaihon decided to invade Han. Even odder was that they didn't seem bothered by invading a country without a reason. As humiliated as they were by being turned into slaves, they still thought of themselves as the best race or culture in the world. All Han-jin were simple barbarians in comparison. Concerning Han, they were simply colonizing it – invading implied they were up against a real army – and doing the Han-jin a favor by 'bringing civilization up their stinky breaths'.

* * *

Soon we reached an area slightly greener than the barren plains before us. Fujiwara-san told us that we were approaching a small current that supplied half of the water for the Iron City. It meant were getting closer to our destination. The sound of flowing water reached my ears soon enough. Many soldiers were overjoyed at the prospect of fresh water to drink, re-supply and bathe.

As soon as the column reached the sturdy looking bridge, we halted. The front ranks already started to unwind and headed towards the edge to freshen up. Others began to dig out latrine pits and prepared for camp. Soon enough Saiji-san and I were assigned to a work party responsible for refilling the water casks. We were both escorted by a group of black armored soldiers – who must be sweating profusely, I imagined – each carrying a heavy cloth covered cask and a mug. We were all directed somewhere upstream, where we were supposed to fill them with water.

Since the clay mug was small, it would take a long time to fill a cask. I took a quick few gulps before the guards would notice and began to work. The water wasn't too murky, at least. My standards in practically every comfort of living had plummeted in these past few weeks. I knew the water would bring all kinds of diseases and mess around with your insides, but I was long past caring by now. There was no guarantee that I would receive a meal, so I just gobbled everything I could get my hands upon.

There were soft patches of growth alongside the river, but it was far from an oasis. There were odd thin sticks of young bamboo sticking out of the water though.

Hmmm…

"Hey Fujiwara-san, does bamboo grow in this area?"

"I don't know, but these seem pretty strange..."

Curiously, I looked closer. The thin rods were actually hollow! But then—

Splotch.

I instinctively raised my hand against my cheek, wiping away the water that someone had probably splashed at me. When I was just about to wipe it against my white shirt I suddenly noticed it wasn't water at all.

It was blood.

Wide-eyed and alert, I turned my head towards the direction where the splatter came.

Only to see a blade tipped spear penetrating the back of Fujiwara-san's mouth. The blood dripped generously over the surprisingly elegant single edged blade that was made more for slashing than for stabbing. Pieces of bone were strewn out. Both his cheeks were torn, creating the impression of an impossibly wide mouth with yellowing and decaying teeth.

Chaos erupted as screams filled the air and the water beneath us began to spit out spear tips. My attention snapped back at the first blood-curling scream, just in time to jump back from the sudden thrust against my head.

Something cracked in me. The blood, the screams and the danger clouded my senses as I did the only thing I could do. I panicked. I jumped up and began to run away from the stream. Before I could gain ground however, my neckpiece suddenly jerked me back, making me choke at the impact.

I turned at the source, just to see Saiji-san dodge a thrust before gripping the spear below the tip. With a mighty pull he managed to dislodge it from its owner, before methodically turning it around and stabbing it at the place where it came from. Red began to seep upwards. After he finished the action, he turned around and met me with a stern gaze. The fierce look full of mixed emotions conveyed enough meaning.

_Disappointment._

He threw the wet spear towards me, forcing me to catch it while he was already working on getting another spear. A quick glance around me showed that not everyone was as lucky or skilled as Saiji and I. Many more met the fate of Fujiwara-san. Kenji-kun was almost catatonic, the sheer shock of losing a person he was stuck with for many days overwhelming him.

The bamboo reeds started to rise up before many figures emerged from the depths. They all spat out the reeds they must have used to breathe while underwater and began to step forward. They were absolutely naked except for a bright green band tied around their foreheads. The strangeness of seeing their manhood shocked most of us, including myself. It wasn't until Saiji-san's latest victim began to scream that I began to act. The sight of a naked muscled man – they were all well trained, apparently – approaching Kenji-kun made up my mind on where to act out first.

I rushed towards the offender and thrust out quickly, hoping to hit him before he realized I was there. Fully expecting the spear to skewer his ribs, I was surprised to see my opponent spinning his spear like a rotor to deflect my attack. The consequences quickly dawned upon me as I was threatening to fall from my overbalanced position. I let my instinct take over and spun the butt-end of my spear against the ground before me to jerk me backwards, narrowly avoiding a powerful swipe. His attack didn't end there; he violently swiped back and forth towards me hoping to get a hit, while I was still disoriented and jerking backwards.

This had to end, before I did something stupid like trip on my own feet. When he swiped to my left, I held up my spear like a staff and stormed towards my opponent, pushing the dangerous edge of his weapon away and barreling against his chest. I encountered much more resistance than I thought, and I hadn't managed to trip him. Still, I was inside the reach of his weapon. I made a swipe against his face with one end of my spear. He flinched, but he showed little pain. With a grunt, he pushed out his arms and forced me back before thrusting out. This time I couldn't avoid the thick blade as it cut my side.

"Aghh!"

The blade didn't retract, and from the pressure that was building up it was evident that he started to turn his stab into a slash. I managed to pull back in time to leave only a skin-deep injury. Still, my side was bleeding quite heavily under the shirt and the pain was almost unbearable.

Still, I had to stay focused. Adrenalin pumped in to me as my survival instinct took hold of my being, almost possessing me with its animalistic spirit. All thoughts and doubts about my survival, my skills and my injuries were swept away by a single thought: defeat my opponent.

Roaring out a shrill high-pitched cry, I ran towards the naked man with all my spirit behind the blade of my weapon. Within edges of his reach he slapped aside my blade with his own. I started to turn aside, but the momentum was too great for me to run into his fist.

Crack!

A world of pain exploded into me as my forehead was spiking with more pain than I had ever felt in my life. I simply collapsed as I nursed my head. Purple spots formed in my eyes, as I willed my eyelids shut to distract me from my pain. My screams were loud and erratic, as the agony wouldn't end.

I was lying prone on the ground long enough for my opponent to finish me, but oddly enough I didn't receive any further injuries. As the pain started to subside, I cracked my eyes open to see his decapitated head in front of me.

The pain in my head was too much for me to care to scream.

I felt the ground before me with my hands, finally managing to find my spear. Using it to ease myself upright, I wondered what had happened. The chains connecting to my neck rattled loudly as I saw Saiji-san engaged in a duel with another naked warrior, this one seemingly bigger than the rest. A quick feint and a sneaky thrust towards his exposed manhood sealed his fate before my neck partner squared off against another opponent.

He was immensely skilled, to be able to take out the skilled green bands without so much of a grunt. His moves were few and seemed stiff, but I knew that he attacked efficiently and with plenty of power. A quiet whimper snapped me back to Kenji-kun, who seemed to only recently return to reality. Without much thought I picked up another one of those single bladed spears and held it out to comrade, who accepted it reluctantly.

"We have to stay alive."

After a short pause he nodded frantically, though fear and shock was still evident in his broken eyes. Already another figure emerged from the river, this one slightly darker skinned than the rest, making the bright green cloth wrapped around his head seem even brighter. His dark eyes darted menacingly between us two, before he stormed us both.

His strikes were even more powerful than my previous opponent, and my blocks often sent me reeling. Kenji-kun was faring little better. The only good thing was that his speed was somewhat lacking. We attacked from opposite sides, forcing him to dart his attention between the both of us, ultimately crippling his thought patterns.

After a short time of defending against our attacks he suddenly thought up a plan. He turned his back – and his naked buttocks – completely against me as he rushed towards Kenji-kun. Surprised by this burst, he could do nothing else but retreat further and further back.

"Wait, it's a trap! Your chain—"

It snapped. The limp corpse of Fujiwara-san connected to the other end of the chain. The sudden force of its weight threw Kenji-kun face first against the dirt. The dark skinned enemy wasted little time and already started his finishing move. I did the only thing I could do this far from them.

"No!"

I hurled my spear forwards, hoping it would aim true.

"GHUAAA!", the assailant cried, before flopping lifelessly over Kenji-kun, who screamed.

How did I get myself in this situation? Seeing the blood flow out of the back wound, dripping down at the screaming and panicking boy, only made me want to lose myself. I collapsed on my knees, breathing raggedly, unable to process the chaos around me.

I thought I could handle it by now, but the truth was that I couldn't really bear killing someone. The blood continued to drip. I had to do it, I told myself. It was kill or be killed. Still, the absolute wrongness of this situation boggled me. The Han were just fighting for their freedom, while the Kaihonese were just fighting for greed. That man didn't have to be killed.

_Still_…

I was part of the bad guys, and I couldn't do anything about it.

_Yet…_

I was a murderer.

_However…_

I was worse than trash, but…

_I just want to live!_

"Get yourself back together if you want to live, Kenji!", I snapped.

That seemed to snap him back. I was already retrieving another spear, no doubt from one of Saiji-san's victims. The beauty and quality of each spear made me frown slightly. Metal was too precious to waste, at least concerning Kaihon. To see so much craftsmanship in each of these weapons indicated that they were special. Add to that the strength and skill of each opponent and I could definitely see that the enemies we faced were special or elite troops.

The shouts of my fellow soldiers told me all I needed to know.

"The whole camp is under attack! From the north, south and west against the river!"

"They popped out from the ground!"

"Careful, there's pit traps! Don't step onto loose dirt!"

"To think they attacked us when we were at our weakest, at the end of our march and in the middle of setting up a camp. They even knew when and where we were passing this bridge. This whole trip was a setup!"

I looked around to see indeed that the entire camp was under attack. Many who had hoped for a quick drink hadn't brought their weapons with them and were cut down relatively easily. Arrow Catchers, being former prisoners, weren't trusted with weapons outside of battles and were taken out with similar ease by the elite green bands. Only a few seemed to hold up against them effectively. Saiji-san dueled against every opponent, winning over them steadily while the Han martial artists blocked and batted aside the dangerous edges with their bare fists before knocking them back in the water. Many survivors struggled against their opponents. Some managed to scavenge a weapon from the dead and defend themselves. Others simply ran away from the river, only to be cut down in the ensuing chaos that gripped the entire camp. It was not looking to good for us when I spotted dust kicking from the distance. Cavalry.

"Saiji-san!", I called, and directed his attention towards the sweeping cloud approaching the battle. His eyes slit at the sight for a second. He then nodded.

He raised his spear above his head in a fist and bellowed, "TO ME!"

"Get in formation, everyone!", I yelled. Seeing Kenji-kun struggling to drag the dead body of Fujiwara-san, I sighed before cutting down my spear in a powerful chop. The corpse decapitated neatly as the head idly rolled away. Kenji-kun looked absolutely livid seeing his senior's body treated in such a way, but I ignored it and shoved the empty – and bloody – end of the chain in his hands.

"You can't drag that corpse by the neck this entire time. Get your wits together and help us fight off this attack!"

"Don't you know what you've just done!? Fujiwara-san's honor and spirit must be—"

"That doesn't matter any SHIT if you die the next minute! Honor doesn't matter!"

His eyes went wide-eyed at the proclamation.

"I can't believe you! But…you are right.", and with that, he wrapped the lengthy chain around his neck before rallying towards whatever was left of the water refilling group around Saiji-san.

I took my place next to him and held the chains connecting our necks closely to avoid someone else getting tangled by them. Soon enough we managed to gather a group of roughly forty men, with Saiji-san and I at the lead. Mixed with Arrow Catchers and Kai infantry alike, their current relation as oppressed and oppressors ceased to fade away in a mutual desire to survive.

My thoughts were still muddled from the pain of the hard counter, but even I could see how the cavalry would leave a trail of destruction throughout the camp until right until it reached the bridge – where Lord Oyamada and his bodyguard made their stand. Everyone waited for Saiji-san's commands, but he stayed rock silent. If we didn't do something quick we might not make it!

"Saiji-san, quick! We have to prepare to meet the horsemen.", I hissed.

"…"

"Saiji-san!"

My partner was oddly silent and unmoving with his head hung down. I bumped him against his side to get a reaction out of him, but he simply _shook_ like a person on a seizure.

"What's happening to you!?"

"Must…consume…must…eat…"

Slight apprehension gripped into me. I grew worried yet fearful at the same time.

"Please, you have to lead us."

"Must.. **GHAR**rhr.." he yelled out and revealed his face to me. His expression was shocking beyond belief! Foam frothed out his mouth as his eyes stared as a demon possessed. His crazed grin contained even more madness than before. He softly cackled, stinging the ears of everyone nearby.

Before he could do anything else, he abruptly dropped to the ground as if someone had hit him over the head. His body pulsed for a few seconds before going limp.

I didn't know what to make of that. What was going on?

"Saiji-san…are you okay?"

Taxingly, he picked himself up. He held up his arm against his face, covering his left eye. I sighed in relief when I found none of the madness left in his face.

"Ikari…I am too exhausted."

I nodded. I knew he would tire after all his fierce fighting, but I hadn't quite expected for him to wear out this fast. That strange reaction was also worrisome…

"Can you march?"

He nodded, with his face back into its usual stoic manner. I lifted him up before facing towards the chaotic camp-turned-battlefield. It was truly an amazing ambush. A quick glance towards the bridge showed that most of the naked green bands were locked in a tight battle against the Lord's bodyguard. It looked like they would hold out for a while since the fighting turned stale. Another glance showed dark figures emerging from the dust. They were getting close enough for me to discern each rider. It wasn't long before they would barrel right in the fighting.

A small smirk emerged on my face. It was easy to get people to follow you when they were full of adrenalin and bloodlust. Everyone held trust in the person next to them, be it an infantryman or an Arrow Catcher. If I could just make them stay confident enough to repel the cavalry charge, then we might make it out of here alive.

I pointed my spear straight at the approaching storm.

"We have to do something about them."

An infantryman spoke up, "A box formation should work against that charge."

Eh?

An Arrow Catcher blurted, "What do you mean? Shouldn't we all just face them in a line with a sea of spears?"

"A box formation works better," the infantryman replied, "No matter in which flank they decide to pierce, they will lose their momentum inside the box. Once stationary, they will stand little chance against our guandaos."

It seemed this strange bladed spear was called a guandao.

"But wouldn't the sight of such a formation make the horsemen avoid them?"

"We'll just have to deceive them. We'll wait at the area they will most likely be penetrating and pull off the formation in the last possible moment. It will be hard to get a perfect formation. We'll need four people to act as an anchor for each corner."

Soon enough we formulated a basic plan. Sensing that the moment was imminent, I copied Saiji's earlier action and lifted my bladed spear. With my loudest voice I boomed, "For Kai no kuni!"

"FOR KAI NO KUNI!"

* * *

**Author's Notes:** There's always this fascination about military geniuses in scifi and fantasy. From L.E. Modesitt Jr.'s _The Corean Chronicles_ to Jim Butcher's _Codex Alera_ series, and taken to the extreme with Sherwood Smith's _Inda_ series and David Weber's _Honor Harrington_ series. The idea is so overused, yet it remains enduringly entertaining. To witness a daring strategy destroying the opposing army is like watching a good mystery unravel from a few specks of clues. Unfortunately, your correspondent lacks both a military mind and an active imagination. I don't know if I'd able to pull off this aspect right.


	8. The Master's Haven

**IMPORTANT:** This fanfic is connected with Sesshy's Girl 00's fanfic **Mistress of Tyranny**. To enjoy this fanfic properly, you should read my partner's fic too. Check out my favorites in my profile to access it.

* * *

_**Master of Corruption**_

_The Master's __Haven_

_By RahXephon and Sesshy's Girl 00_

* * *

Soon enough we formulated a basic plan. Sensing that the moment was imminent, I copied Saiji's earlier action and lifted my bladed spear. Loudly as possible I boomed, "For Kai no kuni!"

"FOR KAI NO KUNI!"

"Charge!"

Thunderous roars filled our ears as we moved forward as one, plowing through the disorganized ranks of Kai soldiers and Han ambushers. We first reached a burning caravan containing food and water; aiding the surrounded defenders. The sudden rush of organized defenders put the Han soldiers in disarray. Their moods swung quickly and their morale fell.

I squared off against a sneering Han, different from the naked green bands that came from the river. His eyes were filled with complete and utter hatred as he aggressively pushed me back with his bamboo spear. In fact, I could barely keep up with him, swinging my guandao to parry his strikes. He was fast, too fast, but his strikes held less power than the elites I encountered earlier.

Ugh…the blood kept pouring out my sides. I couldn't hold off this pressure much longer. Luckily, my opponent started to tire, his eyes less fierce. I took my chance and answered his swing with my own making us both recoil. Already expecting it, I turned with the momentum, brought my spear blade around, and stabbed it behind me. The unmistakable sensation of a blade sinking into flesh made me sigh in relief.

Without looking back, I retreated to the back of the battle and plopped down next to a fresh corpse. The pain was mostly numbed while I fought, but now it came back in slow, agonizing pulses. Without hesitation, I ripped off the vest of the dead Han-jin and shredded it in long ribbons. I tied them together and then proceeded to wrap them around my middle as a bandage.

The filth, dirt and sweat could probably infect the wound but at the moment I simply didn't have the luxury to care. By the time I was finished the enemies around the caravan were mopped up. Most of the Arrow Catchers looked quite exhausted already, while the Kai infantrymen were merely winded. Oddly enough, they looked at Saiji – who was guarding me while I bandaged myself – for guidance. He was tired as well, which was obvious enough, though he was also unresponsive to the others. I merely shrugged. Even in a battle to the death, he was his own self.

I struggled back up to see the Han-jin cavalry speeding up to a gallop as they neared the edge of the half-assembled camp. Their path was a predicable straight line towards the bridge, where Lord Oyamada and his bodyguard made their stand.

"Go!" I yelled, prompting the band of defenders to leave the burned down caravan and move to intercept the horsemen. I was just about to follow before I ran into an Arrow Catcher, who let out a short 'eep' before bumping the ground. It was Kaoru-kun, holding up her smooth black hairs out of her face to rub her forehead. I followed the heavy chain from Kaoru-kun to see Ryougaku leaning on his stone-tipped bamboo spear, catching his breath.

"Ryougaku-san."

"Good kami in heaven, is that you Ikari-kun? Where did you get that fine spear blade?" He asked.

His eyes were full of awe.

"I stole them from the ambushers hiding in the river."

"They came from the water as well?"

"We've not the time, captain! We're moving out to intercept the horsemen over there! You have to come with us."

His head whipped around and saw the thunderous black horses moving over the plains, dusting out huge clouds behind their wake. His face contorted into fear.

"You should go, Ikari-kun. I won't be much use in this state. I will stay with the wagons to prevent them from burning down."

I nodded. We needed all the help we could get, but I couldn't force Ryougaku-san to assist me. He was my superior and my elder. I had a feeling he was merely too afraid to face the charge. In fact, I had the same dread in my mind, but I consciously pushed it back. There was no time for panicking. We had to stop the charge to prevent Oyamada-dono from falling.

Secretly, I was thinking that Lord Nobukata was right in thinking that Oyamada was better off dead if he was willing to do this ridiculous mission. However, if he died, we wouldn't have any semblance of order left, if we were still alive. My eyes roamed across the battle. With the exception of us and a few other pockets, it seemed the Han were winning. They didn't outnumber us by a large margin, but they ambushed us completely while most of us had just finished a tiring march.

The burning supply wagons would only lessen the chance of our survival. We might not even have enough left to march back to a nearby friendly outpost. The desert and mountainous regions here deep inside Han held little farmable regions, but it was rich in metal ores. That was hardly a help though, when you needed to retreat without supplies.

A sudden warning from some of the men, made me snap out of my despair. Shaking my head, I tried to purge all doubts from my mind. It would not do me any good to hesitate. The enemy cavalry was numerous, more than I had expected. The earth started to rumble as it resonated with the gallop of more than a hundred Han horsemen. They were different from the tribal warriors who decorated themselves with colorful clothing. Brown and black seemed to dominate their armored scales. Touches of blood red or forest green differentiated them from the Kaihonese. They all sped down towards us, intending to punch right through our soft defense and charge towards the bridge were the Oyamada and his officers were making their stand.

I hesitated again. The task before us seemed impossible. How else could we manage to stop a frontal charge? I looked around me, seeing that others made the same conclusion. We were far too few to box them in. They might even drill right through our meager formation and trample us all under their hooves. Gripping the scavenged pole arm tighter, I stepped forward and held a resolute position. The others, some of them Arrow Catchers but mostly regular Kai infantry, began to position themselves.

The most solid and bulkiest held the front, to meet the charge head-on and try to slow it down. I didn't envy those who took that place but I admired them for their willingness to take the most dangerous spot. Slaves or freemen, it mattered not, both seemed to have come to an understanding. To the rear were the most experienced soldiers and the best fighters. They would slow the vanguard to a standstill and keep the box from bursting apart. They were the killers, intent on taking maximum advantage. Saiji stood in that line, to the corner, for I was right next to him, the chain still holding us together. The rest occupied the sides, the weaker Arrow Catchers bolstered by a few solid infantrymen. We were there to prevent the enemy from outflanking us and escaping the trap.

"They're coming close now! Only a two-hundred paces or so!" Someone yelled.

Everyone braced themselves. When it seemed that only a few seconds were left, the front ranks presented a wall of stabbing spears, sharp iron points seemingly forming a menacing shark's maw. Foreign warnings and curses could be heard even this far back, as the charge faltered slightly at the sudden and intimidating sight. But it was too late to wheel out. The ground pounced as the mass of horses thundered onwards, determined to drive through. The first howls of pain and death reached our ears, as we saw the vanguard punching through the front ranks. Soldiers from both sides succumbed to spears, sabers, and hooves. The front rank quickly retreated back and to the side, resembling double doors parting way.

It took only a short moment before the vanguard reached the rear of our box, slowed down by the earlier defense. The others behind them were forced to slow too, to avoid collision. Saiji swung his guandao in an elegant arc, cutting a deep gash in the neck of a brown horse. The second stroke proved fatal for the creature as it crashed downwards, momentum still dragging the corpse and its rider a little forward. The neck chain between Saiji and I rattled as it caught the corpse. The sudden stretch frightened me. However, it stopped before it could drag both our necks away. Seizing my wits, I quickly stabbed clumsily towards the exposed neck of the downed rider. The sickening crunch and the soft feel of flesh disgusted me, but I held on determinedly.

My middle ached as it continued to bleed. The weariness and pain crept further into me, slowing my attacks. We only fought for ten minutes, but it was more tiring than a hard day of work. My breathing had become haggard and shallow as I tried to lift my weapon to hack at either a Han or a horse. There were a few moments where I almost flung my blade at a Kai. The black armor was making it confusing for me to distinguish between friend and foe, though most Kai soldiers retained their _sashimono_. The huge rectangular banner proudly bore the Kai _mon_. The ranks of Arrow Catchers and Kai infantry closed in on the helpless horsemen. Without mobility, they were hardly stronger but more cumbersome than infantry. Lengthy spears assaulted them from all sides. Horses whinnied and collapsed, as they were defenseless against spear tips. Some of the riders had their leg stuck under the heavy corpse and were dispatched easily. Smarter Han dismounted and fought with both feet on the ground.

In vain, though. Almost miraculously we managed to decimate those trapped within our box, with the front ranks realigning to cut off the escape. We lost a great portion to the enemy, but even more had fallen from our defense. The rear guard of the cavalry formation narrowly escaped, wheeling away to retreat or find a weaker position to attack. I smiled as I spat out some horse blood that had managed to spray right in my mouth. The cavalry wouldn't be a threat to us anymore.

I gazed calmly but wearily at my surroundings. The battle had winded down, as everyone was tired. Battle lines were drawn as the enemies inside our barely raised camp had died or fled under the current of the river. The skirmishes around our box were finished by now. Arrow Catchers scavenged the Han corpses for weaponry or protection that could be easily fastened. Kai infantry reformed into battle ranks by tired looking sergeants, who took advantage of the lull. Everyone was looking at everyone else. Their eyes hid questions and uncertainty.

"They're coming back!"

Heads whipped around in unison. Masses of Han soldiers, led by a few of the surviving horsemen, marched steadily towards our position. We were all weary but we knew it wasn't over yet. Battle ranks were formed as both Arrow Catchers and regular infantry positioned themselves to meet the upcoming threat. We weren't outnumbered, which was strange. What were they planning to achieve? I looked back at the bridge and it took me only a small moment to realize their intentions. They wanted to delay us!

It was too late now to warn the others. The intimidating display succeeded in focusing our efforts on them. As blood continued to trickle through my bandages I grudgingly made my way over to the rear of an Arrow Catcher formation. My bloody and bent guandao, its magnificent moon blade nicked and deformed from all the struggle, was still better than a bamboo spear. Some of the others had already scavenged better weapons. Some had even taken the swords of the fallen horsemen, not caring that it was forbidden for all the non-samurai to carry and use a sword.

The enemy stepped closer and closer, baring their menacing array of spears against us. Some of them were bladed, others were meant for stabbing. All of them had a puffy red ball at the base of the spear tip for some odd reason. It made for an intimidating look. As they neared us, they began to pick up speed. They were going for another charge. The front ranks responded by coming closer together and baring all of their spears in front so that there were at least two layers of spear tips to go through.

Thirty paces… Twenty paces… Ten paces…

CRASH!

The vanguard of the enemy either impaled themselves against the spear front or relied on their armor to deflect the deadly points. When one fell, another one trampled over the body and continued to charge ahead to impale us instead. The bodily collisions were abrupt and disorientating. As soon as the two sides recovered, the fight began in earnest. I panted as I saw and heard the carnage around me. Age-old hatred possessed both sides, enabling brutalities to occur. Chopped off heads rolled around. Others lay prone on the ground, holding their cut groins to stop the bleeding they knew they couldn't end. Soldiers tripped over corpses. Wounded men retreated from the heat of the fray to bandage themselves. It seemed an endless slaughter and as I was being pushed forward, I knew my turn was about to come.

I looked closer. Through all the chaos, I hadn't spotted a single horseman yet. Where had they disappeared to?

A rapid thundering approached from behind, and as some of us turned to look, we were suddenly confronted with a flanking attack! We barely turned in time to meet the charge but the unexpected attack succeeded in plowing through the ranks. Bodies pressed against mine as we were blown back by the shock. We all tried to recover as quickly as possible to decimate the heavy cavalry before they could disengage for another charge. Spears bounced harmlessly off the heavy scales, while the Han delighted in cutting down unarmored Arrow Catchers. The trained horses reared their hind legs for a crushing kick, or raised themselves to crash down an opponent to the front. They were butchering us.

Worse yet, there was a giant warrior among them who ravaged through our ranks. Fully clad in menacing Han armor, he ripped through our forces with speed and strength. He wielded the guandao in at an unprecedented level. When he grabbed the head of an Arrow Catcher and crushed it with his own bare fist, I knew he wasn't quite human. We were terrified. At this rate, we would be utterly annihilated. We needed a rapid counter against that man. But what could manage to hold off such a monster?

The answer came in minutes.

"Captain Tsuku!"

A magnificent looking horseman strode down towards us. His helmet and mask inspiring fear and awe at the same time. The large banner on his back fluttered in the white and black of Kai's mon. His raised katana gleamed in the heat of the sun, proclaiming himself a sword-carrying samurai. A noble. Everyone cheered up at the sight of him in a way I couldn't understand. What could a single officer do to change the tide? The captain seemed pitiful in comparison to that huge brute who tore our ranks. His heavy guandao just beheaded three soldiers! As the captain neared, his horse sped up to jump into the thick of the fray. Everyone waited in anticipation.

"For Kai!"

As the lone captain closed in, he didn't crash headlong against another horse and trip. With seemingly superhuman speed he slashed and stabbed his sword in meticulous precision. Hands were chopped off, weak points were punctured, and horses always seem to collapse away from the captain, crashing against a fellow horse instead. His amazing attack rippled throughout the Han horsemen as they turned to meet his fury. The soldiers in front were relieved as the pressure from behind eased off, giving them more breathing room to fight the Han infantry in front of them.

The horseback soldiers tried to disengage and retreat, but captain Tsuku managed to garrote the unprotected belly of the giant Han's mount, toppling him on the ground. Everyone at the rear started to form a tentative circle for another odd reason. Captain Tsuku calmly dismounted his steed, and patted him away towards a nearby soldier who took the reins.

Baring his lengthy katana towards the Han, the masked captain loudly issued a challenge. "I am Ichi of the Tsuku clan, and I challenge you to a duel."

The raggedly bearded giant took his time, but eventually managed to pull himself away from the downed horse and retrieve his fallen weapon. The curved moon blade on his spear was twice as thick as mine. The man grinned cheekily, exposing several missing teeth. To the surprise of some of us, he replied in broken but understandable Kaihonese. "Me Captain Yuan Jia, son of Yuan Bei. You head make trophy good you will. Cursed weapon of you will be ground into dust to release the captive soul within!"

The captain bristled at the words. "_Shiroyuki_ has been wielded by my father and forefathers of our clan. Their spirits watch over me. You will not defile their legacy." At his words, the katana gained a subtle but noticeable white glow.

Magic…?

Yuan Jia didn't bother to reply. Instead, he lumbered over towards the captain, intent on gaining a quick kill. The masked Kai captain merely waited for the large armored mass to approach, and just as the Han cut his spear in a devastating down stroke, the captain dodged rapidly to the side with a speed that seemed impossible with the amount of armor he was carrying. Enraged, the Han swept the area around him with broad swipes and swift stabs, but whatever he did, he just couldn't catch the oddly agile Kai. How could this be? His armor must weigh at least a third of his weight, and the scales should have definitely limited his range of movement to some extent. But Tsuku continued to dance around Yuan Jia, infuriating the man even further as he desperately tried to swat the nimble figure.

"Ancestors give me more strength!" The Han bellowed, and continued to curse in his native tongue.

Each powerful stroke could tear his body apart, but the Captain continued to move on, not even attempting to attack. There was an peculiar elegance between them. Yuan Jia was clearly too huge to be natural. Tsuku was too agile for it to be ordinary… or was it? I stole a quick glance towards Saiji, who nursed an arm wound.

He noticed my confusion. "The Han draw their strength from their ancestors. The stronger their forefathers, the stronger they become."

"Is that why… he's so huge?"

Saiji nodded, and added, "There were even larger men once… but they have all died in this war long ago."

The amazement was evident in my eyes; warriors even larger than this one, able to use their immense strength to cut scores of soldiers with a single slash. How in the world could Kaihon beat such fearsome monsters?

He explained, "The Kaihonese draw their strength from the objects imbued by the souls of their ancestors. Like Fuji-sama."

"Like Fuji-sama?"

"Watch."

Tsuku stepped up his movement with a series of rapid attacks with his glowing katana. His speed was extraordinary and his movements were artful. He relied on intensely drilled forms, as he tried to cut through the Han's defenses. Yuan Jia, though slower, still used his spear in an elegant, fluid, and flexible manner comparable to the Kung-Fu movies I watched in the past. The duel was more than a fight between two opposing soldiers. Strength vs. agility. Fluid improvisation vs. rigid katas. The ancestors of Kaihon vs. the ancestors of Han.

It was until the first connected hit by the white katana that I knew which side would always prevail. In a devious trap, Tsuku baited Yuan Jia into an overextended lunge. While the giant tried to pull back, the master swordsman lunged at his face. He was too far though, so I was certain he would not connect.

I was wrong.

The white glow intensified as it cut through the air, and when the blade could go no further, the glow continued to extend towards the Han, and engulf his entire face. A thunderous boom of agonizing cries, as it seemed his entire face was burning. Tsuku quickly followed up by guiding the white stream in a down stroke, burning parts of a shoulder and an arm. The Han dropped to his knees, his face a gruesome molten mess. His spear lay forgotten in the sand as he dropped to his knees, broken and defeated. The Kai captain calmly approached from behind, his sword reared to behead his opponent.

But before he could complete his stroke, the giant roared and caught him off guard. He took the blow on his injured arm, which cut it off by a half. His other hand grabbed for the neck, and he succeeded in grappling it. Loud pops could be heard as the victorious Han bent the armor and tried to choke the life out of Tsuku. Everyone around us was yelling in indignation, but nobody interfered with the duel.

Was everyone going to let the Han kill off one of their officers? Could we afford to lose one of our best fighters for the sake of honor? Everyone held their distance rigidly, almost religiously. There were many unspoken rules about duels that I knew nothing about. It was disconcerting. Though most of the Han infantry had already retreated, we needed every soldier we could get. The battle was already over, so why waste another for some code of honor?

Determined, I broke the circle and stepped forward. Before the others could stop me, I sped up and charged straight at the massive armored back. At the last second I shifted my spear upwards and pierced roughly through the exposed crack underneath the black helmet. Flesh parted and bones broke as the blade sunk deeper in the neck. The strike was so easy and so fast that the Han officer simply fell. With a rough jerk I withdrew my bloody weapon and brushed away the blood and muck. It was until I finished that I noticed everyone's eyes were upon me. They didn't seem very happy either.

Captain Fuku, the one who I had saved, looked especially bothered. "You… what..."

Before I could reply, a strong set of hands grasped me on both sides and dragged me back towards the mass of idle soldiers. I didn't have to guess whose limbs they were.

"Saiji, I—"

"Quiet. You have caused enough trouble for now."

I felt shame at hearing his rebuke. For heaven's sake, I saved a fellow soldier! Was interfering with duels such a great taboo? I didn't understand all the grumbling. Even the Arrow Catchers looked at me with distaste. What was going on?

My neck partner continued, "We value honor beyond all. What you just did not only dishonored yourself, but also Captain Fuku. Your actions will haunt him for the rest of his life, or…"

"Or…?", I asked wearily as he set me down against the river and started to probe the wound on my sides.

Saiji took a brief glance backwards before turning his attention back to the wound. "It is not important." And with that, he pressed harshly against the bloody mess, causing a sharp stab of pain. I cried out briefly as all my questions were drowned out by the pain. Saiji roughly removed my bandages and tore the cloth of a random soldier. He wetted it in the water before using it to mop up all the blood and dirt from the wound. He examined it meticulously, as if he had been trained or done it many times before. The familiarity in his actions was odd, but I welcomed it anyway. He bandaged me up tight with a cut and stripped shirt, and I felt immense relief in the fact that I wouldn't bleed to death. Only after he was done with me did he start on his own wounds.

Looking around, I noticed many were already busy with their own duties. Arrow Catchers scavenged either weapons or armor from the fallen. Infantrymen dragged their fallen comrades in piles, probably planning to cremate them. Some gathered up the surviving horses, while others were already cutting up the dead ones for a feast. It seemed that everyone was off on their own business, and nobody seemed to be in charge. The bridge, surrounded with corpses from both sides, seemed miserable, but some officers had made it at least. They seemed to be discussing amongst themselves. What had happened?

While Saiji dressed his own wounds, I stared at the multitude of corpses with certain interest. The loss of blood and huge weariness within me had long pushed away any remorse or disgust. The dead could be mourned later. For now, survival was more important. Picking up the guandao I had used, I examined it in closer detail. The craftmanship was undeniable, but it was a bit too long and far too heavy to be used with ease, especially when I was getting more tired. I discarded the polearm in favor of a lighter Kai spear from a dead guard.

The odd looking spear felt almost natural in my grasp. Not quite a proper spear, but still long enough to outrange a nodachi. The two thick narrow blades were shaped in an L-form. They seemed reliable enough not to break, unlike the thin and fragile guandaos. The primary blade was probably meant for stabbing and slashing. The shorter protrusion perpendicular from the base of the longer blade was the most interesting feature, however. It curved downwards, and the bladed side was inwards, instead of outwards. The smaller blade's purpose was obvious. It was meant for hooking. Though probably more challenging to use than a normal stabbing spear, I liked the extra options it presented.

With a relieved sigh, I set myself upon the next immediate task. By keeping myself busy, I wouldn't have time to think on all the deaths.

* * *

It was remarkable how the situation could change so drastically, but yet so subtly. By the time night fell, the mood had turned even darker. Both funeral pyres and regular campfires started to dot the camp, but they were heavily divided in two groups. At one side, near the bridge heading further inland, were the regular infantry troops and their officers. On the other side further down the river Arrow Catchers and the occasional surviving prisoner went about their business with great caution.

The ambush caught our forces completely unaware. There was hardly any time to arrange our formation, putting the Arrow Catchers boxed in the front and middle to soak up the brunt of the attack. Therefore, more infantrymen died than Arrow Catchers. We were still outnumbered, but the margin was much smaller. Too small to prevent us scavenging equipment or disarm us after the battle. Almost no Catcher wore their defenseless white shirt anymore. Everyone wore some combination of Kai or Han armament.

I glanced at Ryougaku, who managed to obtain a dead officer's samurai armor. The two blades against his hip was a blatant sign of defiance against the Kai on the other side. Attached to the other end of his neck chain sat Kaoru, holding a bowl of horsemeat stew at one side, and a wakizashi at her other side. Thinking about the abuse she endured made me feel nauseous, so I quickly turned and focused on my own stew.

With the burning of the supply wagons came an acute shortage of supplies, such as barrels of preserved food and casks of water. The river, though relatively muddled, was still an adequate source of refreshment The problem was that too many casks were broken. We would have a hard time marching through the dry wastelands with a limited amount of food and water.

But already people doing something about it. Ryougaku urged the Arrow Catchers to use any skills that might be helpful in alleviating the supply problem. Most of the surviving wagons were safely secure in the Kai's side of the camp. To avoid being forced to surrender, he wanted to produce his own supplies so that they might escape by themselves.

Former butchers and anyone who could help were cutting and smoking horsemeat en masse. There wasn't any salt, but the people told me the dried and smoked food would last. Tanners skinned as much of the horses they could to produce more leather for waterskins. The stench coming from the outskirts of our camp was truly disgusting. They actually collected our body wastes and used them both in the tanning process. The thought of using a such a container for drinking water was an unpleasant thought.

After finishing up my bowl, I kept myself warm by wrapping myself up with some canvas and snuggling up against a campfire. My eyes drooped many times, but sleep didn't come. The smoke in the air was too thick to rest. Saiji kept himself occupied by sharpening his guandao. Kenji looked utterly lost. The other end of his chain was vacant – only leftover crusts Fujiwara's blood still stained the surface. The Priests Monks were nowhere to be seen. I wasn't sure if they were already dead. One of the Han martial artists, Bao had obviously lost his brother. He had refused to burn the body. Instead, he made a great amount of effort of digging up a shallow grave, and marked the spot with a small pile of rocks. I never stared too long at him. It only made me feel worse.

I paid attention to Ryougaku instead. Listening to his grand rhetoric made me hate the old geezer even more. Taking advantage of a young girl was one thing, but the absurdity he proposed?

"A new age has come. Freedom is within our grasp. Look around you, fellow brothers. We are far from Kaihon's territory, and only days away to the nearest Han settlement. Only less than two companies stand between us and losing our chains. Only by slaughtering every single Kai dog shall we end our captivity! We should attack them soon before dawn arrives."

Hearing him speak made me feel more repulsed. What was he talking about? He sounded desperate to be free, but what was there for us in these wastelands? The Han Catchers could probably rejoin their brethren without a problem. The Kaihon-speaking Catchers though would face a more difficult situation. The mistrust was evident in some of the eyes I stared into. Not all of them wanted to betray their home country, whatever his fate. Others, like me, had no wish to trade one slave master for the other. At least Kaihon was winning this war.

When I realized I was arguing against escape, I frightfully stepped back my thoughts. What was I thinking? Did I _want_ to be an Arrow Catcher for the rest of my life? The thought sounded absolutely absurd, but deep inside my heart I hardly felt any objection. Was it because I wanted to punish myself for the many things I had done in my life? Or was it because I simply _lost_ any hope of living a joyful life…

Perhaps it was because I enjoyed my current life.

The idea sounded even more ridiculous but again my emotions felt no denial. I must have been the only one who actually enjoyed being an Arrow Catcher. The truth was it made me feel more alive and more appreciated than ever before. Gone were the days when I was an EVA pilot and when the entire fate of the world rested upon my shoulders. I was a nobody here – lower than dirt. I liked it. No, I _loved _it. The food was bad, the work was backbreaking, and the fighting was perilous. But I wasn't alone. There were all these other people from every corner of Kaihon and Han. There were former soldiers, criminals, spies, craftsmen, scholars, and many more peculiar men to help each other out. There was a true sense of belonging simply by being part of it. I didn't want to starve in the heat of the desert, abandoned and alone.

That was why I plotted on stopping Ryougaku – at any cost. It seemed stupid to go against an elder who wanted nothing to be free. But he was going against everything I wanted. I couldn't rely on the others having the same sentiments, but there were plenty of reasons why they wouldn't want to join the old self-appointed leader. Judging the faces of the other Catchers was hard, but I felt that there were more who wanted to escape rather than stay. That made it hard to incite an uprising and overpower the old man. Besides, everyone was too tired.

I was at a disadvantage. The Arrow Catcher captain could simply ramble his way into letting everyone else agree. The doubting voices were too few and they paled in comparison to Ryougaku's fervent conviction. A more subtle action was needed. At that moment, I simply didn't care for killing him. Perhaps it was because of the muddled emotions after an exhausting battle, or the stench of burning corpses, but I simply regarded him as another enemy. He wasn't killing us. He just needed let his old age catch up to him and die.

Glancing at the wrapped up spear besides me, I belatedly found out I probably should have scrounged up a knife as well. Killing him in his sleep was not an option then. It wouldn't have worked anyway. I needed something else, a way of disposing him and his ideas without turning anyone against me. A public challenge, perhaps? Or some other way of sabotage?

I meekly turned to Saiji, who was silently cleaning a suit of Kai armor. What Saiji really thought was anyone's guess, and it was always a potential problem. I'd been stuck with him for several weeks now. We ate together, slept together, and fought together. We even relieved ourselves together. The large man was strong and disciplined, and was an absolute mystery. How did he become so well trained? How did he get here at all, despite his talents?

What was that black magic he once revealed to me?

These questions, especially the last one, were not spoken aloud. We both had questions about ourselves, but we both trusted each other not to pry. I had plenty of secrets I was not eager to dredge up. The past was gone now. Everyone I knew was dead.

Still, even though he didn't question further, he still seemed oddly compliant to my actions. He allowed me to destroy the career of a sergeant, even helping me when the situation got tight! I could understand he didn't want to get caught in my failings, but he seemed too cooperative. That was strange. A strong person like him could easily take charge and lead us all from the start by sheer force of will. Instead, he took little initiative, avoided drawing attention, and let me decide our actions.

Saiji acted trustworthy, and his great prowess in combat had saved me several times. I always slept easily knowing he would cover my back. I was extremely lucky to be paired off with him. We worked well together, though my contribution was not as big as his. Doubt and suspicion were always present in my mind, of course. He must have his own reasons to act the way he was right now. Was it simply habit, or training? Or was he simply biding his time, and unleash his true intentions at the worst possible moment for me?

Even though I couldn't assure his interests won't harm mine, I assumed he didn't hold any ill will towards me. I could say that was the single most important element in our pact. I could still remember the words we uttered that day. _Brothers_. Were we really acting like brothers now? I wasn't sick enough to hold any affection – ugh – towards him, but still, there was a certain level of unspoken appreciation between us. As a single child, I never knew how it was to have a sibling. This feeling of security and cooperation, of relying on my partner, must be what it means to have a brother.

I smiled at that thought, before my face turned somber again when my mind returned to the situation at hand.

"Saiji.", I started.

The native Kaihonese simply nodded, but continued working on the strapping of his armor as if he didn't hear me.

Used to this habit, I simply continued, lowering my voice so nobody else could listen in. "I.. don't like Ryougaku's proposals. It will only lead to us starving in the desert, or up in chains with the Han."

He kept working, giving no sign of ever hearing my words. I really didn't understand why he acted this way. Was he thinking it over? Was he trying to deceive any onlookers? After several minutes of waiting, he nodded and gave a slight affirmative grunt.

Good. At least he didn't shake his head to tell me it was a bad idea. He didn't reveal his opinion, but that was another thing I was used to. Now that I had his consent, we could hatch a plan.

"We need to do something about him. I want to kill him."

The blunt words hadn't fazed him. They didn't faze me either. Once, a long time ago, I would have been paralyzed at the mere thought of killing another person. Now, it was simply a necessity. Saiji just gave me a simple wave with his hand, motioning me to continue. That meant he didn't completely agree, but he wasn't opposed either.

"I know we can't kill him without dissuading anyone else to take over his position. Somehow we need to achieve both. But how?"

With that, he simply pointed briefly to one of the prominent Arrow Catchers, who was debating calmly with the fiery Ryougaku. He sounded tired, while his arm was wrapped up heavily with blood-soaked bandages. Compared to that, Ryougaku looked supreme in his black suit of armor. Even in the late of night his energy was boundless. I could understand the sentiment, somewhat. He was within inches of total freedom after decades of captivity. His opponent could do nothing to convince him better.

That meant we needed to help him, or use him.

"What do you have in mind?", I asked.

For the next hour, we discussed our plan of action under the cover of the background noise. It was risky and outlandish. But because it was so unlikely meant that it had the best shot of achieving both goals. When I suggested that Saiji should take the dominant role, though, he sternly refused. Even though it fit his pattern, I was still hesitant. Taking that role for myself was a heavy burden, and I simply wasn't suited for the task. Saiji would have none of that though. He simply told me to let 'fate' decide.

As if fate existed.

* * *

**Author's Notes: **I was browsing through my earlier chapters, and I noticed it sucked pretty hard. It's been two years since I first started on this story, and a lot has happened in between. My writing skills and judgement have improved a lot over time. So when I get around, I'll go through all the chapters and 'update' them to my current standard of quality.

On another note, the time when Asuka and Shinji will meet is coming closer, as well as some revelation of the overarching plot. I can't promise to write faster, but I am certainly hoping to. For now the story will stay its steady course.


	9. The Master's Inception

**IMPORTANT:** This fanfic is connected with Sesshy's Girl 00's fanfic **Mistress of Tyranny**. To enjoy this fanfic properly, you should read my partner's fic too. Check out my favorites in my profile to access it.

* * *

_**Master of Corruption**_

_The Master's __Inception_

_By RahXephon and Sesshy's Girl 00_

* * *

The coming of dawn marked the start of an eventful day. Saiji roughly shook me out of my deep slumber. Groggily, I went about my morning business and cleaned myself up. From the way I was walking around, it seemed I was more asleep than awake. Only by submerging my entire head into the cold, dirty stream, did I fully wake up and realize the many aches of my muscles. I took a short moment to stretch, which did relieve the some of the pain, but mostly attracted odd glances from other early risers.

"It's time… isn't it?"

Saiji simply grunted. His stern face betrayed nothing. Just as I expected.

We headed over to a tired looking Han Arrow Catcher. He seemed to have been awake all night, processing all the horsemeat into dried and smoked rations, which should last us a while. The hardy cook scooped up the same food we had last night, cooked in river water with chunks of horsemeat and sprinkled with a few sand grains. I made a disgusted face as I started to eat it with a lengthy knife I scavenged from a pile of weapons nearby. The water was murky with sand, and I really didn't want to know what the vegetables were and where they got them, Even though my mouth screamed from the taste, I appreciated having anything to eat at all. The harsh desert-like terrain held little natural growth and we would have starved otherwise.

As soon as we finished our breakfast we started to act. With Saiji trailing behind, I approached several camp followers and attempted to gauge the mood throughout the Catchers. To survive and to win, I had to bring people away from Ryougaku. The old man was ever awake, from the moment I closed my eyes to the time I opened them at dawn. He was forever busy talking amongst the more influential in our camp. He dealt with Murou the master blacksmith with an easy smile and a cheerful laugh. He also had similar ease with the Han. With the influential former Han officer Leng Shu and his chain partner Kaun of the Earthspire, the cunning self-appointed captain of the Arrow Catchers bargained with them in their own language.

The only way we stood a chance of preventing Ryougaku from marshalling the Catchers to defect to the Han was to organize those who were opposed to his plan. There was no chance of preventing the Han prisoners from reuniting with their comrades, and with the Wangan brothers gone, I had no hope of communicating with them anyway. No, I had to get to the other doubters, the Kaihon ones. I'd probably have the most luck with the former soldiers, since they still held the most loyalty to Kai out of all of us. The non-combatants forced into this fighting, the thieves and murderers and the like, would be harder to persuade and would certainly demand something in return. The problem was that I had nothing to offer.

I moved my eye to where the sun was still rising. Farther down the river was the bridge, and crowded on both sides were the remnants of the regular infantry of Kai. Their bright banners stood proudly amongst the carnage and blood that littered the battlefield. Though they used to outnumber us 2-to-1, the battle quickly thinned the ranks and evened the numbers between the infantry and the slaves. With both forces combined, we were only three companies' worth of men, far too few to assault a fortified city as renowned as the Iron City as most were thinking.

The sun was barely up for an hour whilst I was already weaving my way through the men. Some, covered with wounds, bloodstains or a simple ox's skin blanket, were barely worth the time to talk to. After all, what did they have to offer if and when things came to swords and spears? However, it was precisely why they the most vulnerable. Any act of desertion would leave them behind, and possible faced with retaliation from the Kai infantry forces.

Shinichiro the Rot Tooth was one of them. He hung close to a cooking fire, even as the desert started to heat up from the naked sun. Nobody knew why people referred to him as the Rot Tooth. With his uneasy smile and his crooked yellow-blackened teeth, he was hardly any different from the most of us. On the march a day or two ago, one had jested that his family all had a mouth full of sparkling white teeth. He then continued that Rot Tooth must have ate a rat and been cursed out of his family. Shinichiro promptly punched the a teeth out of the fellow.

Still, however intimidating he might be, his leg wound could hardly handle walking, let alone standing.

Saiji and I sat down opposite to the gruff, wild-haired man. Shinichiro immediately grinned, showing his rotting teeth. I didn't know what Saiji was doing, but I simply stared straight through the flickers of the calm fire, matching eyes with the veteran delinquent.

"Well then young boy," He started, "Yer not 'nterested in me horse roast, are ye? Spit it out!"

The thought of talking to him was daunting to me. Though I tried not to reveal my discomfort, sweat poured down my head. There was no going back after this.

I took a deep breath, preparing myself for the task ahead. "Shinichiro-san, I humbly ask your support."

His eyes glinted sharper as he leaned in, closer to the warmth of the flame and the smell of well-burnt horsemeat. "Tell me," He spoke softly, as if he knew the sensitive nature of what I was about to introduce to him. "You're planning to prevent the 'Catchers from freeing themselves and defecting to the Han, aren't ya?"

"…" Was I that obvious?

Rot Tooth calmly grabbed the stick speared with a piece of horse, tore off a well-blackened portion and put it in his mouth. As he tried to chew it with his deficient teeth, he continued, "You got no one fooled, you impudent brat. We have Kaihonese from every province, Han from many parts and even two or three Choson. No one ever heard an accent as unnatural as yours."

What was he trying to say? What did he figure out? Did he _know_ that I was foreign from this world?!

"You've got guts, kid, with the way you fight. I've seen you brawl fiercer than the most notorious drunks 'ere and more stupid than anyone else as well. You're nothing like us, Ikari."

"Shinichiro-san," I interjected. "I am not here to talk about myself. Let's—"

"But that is _exactly_ why you're here!" He half-shouted, attracting odd looks and spitting pieces of meat back to the flames. The fires crackled for a moment, as the seconds passed.

He chewed the meat in a slow methodical way, as if the reason why he did not eat faster was not due to his rotten jaw. "You're not the only one thinking and talking about going against that old man, 'captain' Ryougaku. Pah! I've been entertainin' plenty o' visitors last night. Talk's been going 'round and even the old man know's it. That's why he's moving fast."

I stole a quick glance behind me. Ryougaku was already finished with the Han and was already negotiating with the cooks. Kaoru stood discretely behind him, her face sullen, but unspoken. When I looked at her disguised form, memories of that horrible night surfaced again.

"She's quite a taste, eh? I've had a few run-ups with 'er and she's fresher than the whores I used to pay a fortune." Rot Tooth said teasingly. Instantly, something snapped within me, _urging_ me to _kill_ the bastard immediately. Heat blazed within me. I wanted to do nothing more than reach for my sickle-necked spear and decapitate the veteran in a smooth motion.

As I planned my motions and imagined the amount of blood that would gush out, which became ever more primal, reason returned. I needed him, more than I needed to take vengeance on something I was not responsible for. As distasteful as it was, I forced myself to calm my mind. I would make it up for her, one day.

Rat Tooth dropped his ridiculous-looking grin and looked seriously at me, as if I had gained some respect from him. "You're different, you know. You've got something nobody else has in our miserable ranks." He dropped the stick into the fire, which crackled immensely. Smoke flared up as the wood slowly turned to charred remains.

"Most would think you for nothing but a brat. But we, the senior ones, know what it takes to lead. You don't belong between us. No, you're _above_ us."

Above them? Better than the most battle-hardened Arrow Catchers?

"Some of us have even wondered, y'know. 'Is he the bastard of a noble?' or 'Is Ikari a long-lost hidden clan?'" He looked at my hands before continuing, "Have you ever seen yourself when you're in battle? You're a monster, that's what you are. It scares the hell out of us. We haven't forgot what happened yesterday either, when you _commanded_ us all, if only for a few seconds. We did more than hear you. We _felt_ you. It was as if you forced all your _Qi_ on us."

Shinichiro shook his head, as if he willed himself to part from some unpleasant memories. "We are simple warriors of craftsmen. There's scum like me and," He jerked his head towards Ryougaku. "Scum like him. But we're all worthless dirt compared to people like you, Ikari."

He lifted his heavily tanned arm and waved it towards the Kai soldiers' camp. "There's scum o'er there as well. They have honor, most of 'em, but there's some even worse than us Catchers. They simply didn't get caught yet."

I was edgy and impatient. "Shinichiro-san, I do not have all day."

"Don't we all?" He smirked. "But my point is that you've got _something_ that makes you above us. All officers have the thing, from Captain Tsuku to Lord General Nobukata. You're a leader, Ikari. We don't know how someone so young can have so much potential, and built up such an ascending legacy."

Surprise etched across my surface. Did he just praise me? Did others think of me the same way as well? What was he talking about my legacy? Rot Tooth smirked mischievously to Saiji, as if there was something more behind his words. "You can see it too, Saiji? That's the reason why—"

"Don't say anything." Saiji threatened, akin to a rock in the middle of the road. I was extremely curious to what Rot Tooth had to say, even if I did not really seem to understand him. Unfortunately, he seemed to take Saiji's implicit threat seriously, and immediately dropped all pretenses at casualness.

I secretly marveled Saiji's authority. Still, I was missing something. If Rot Tooth respected Saiji more than me, why was he talking to me? Why did Saiji always insist I take the initiative?

A voice snapped me back to reality. "Just having it doesn't mean you are worthy. People like Lord Oyamada have the _thing_ as well. And then there is the fact that you interfered with the duel yesterday." He shook his head again, more dramatic this time. "It was extremely daring, but it served us worse, even if that giant Han would killed us all next."

"Was it better we were all dead instead, then?" I asked somewhat indignant. Why were these Kaihonese so touchy about their honor?

The dirty and smelling man didn't answer immediately. "It was… without honor. You've lost respect with many 'o us. There is only one way to regain it."

"Do I need to regain my honor?" I asked somehow dubiously.

"You do if you want our help."

"You've thought everything out already, haven't you?"

He grinned nastily. "We old men 'aven't stayed alive by sitting around and following orders. We can think as well." He beckoned me to lean closer, and I did. He spoke softly. "Now this 'ere's our proposal. We wounded men can't survive a desertion. Some of the Catchers, particularly the young ones, like Ryougaku's idea of freedom but they doubt the Han would let us go so easily. The few veterans there are in our camp are against Ryougaku himself. He.. doesn't have _it_. He doesn't have what it takes to lead men into battle. The only person amongst the Arrow Catchers who has the right to that is you, Ikari-kun."

"But… but why me? I'm just 15! And what is this _it_ you keep talking about?"

Rot Tooth spat into the dying flames and kept smiling. "You can play stupid all you want but none of us 're going to fall for that. Everyone knows the story of how a young 10-year old Fuji-sama fought his way throughout an ambush in the Forest of Whispering Eternity by taking charge of a decimated bodyguard unit. It's just a terrible shame he didn't have enough time in the world to transcend." He sighed at that. "Gives us loads of work as well, cleaning up his gold."

"In any case, besides the Han, nobody is really dedicated to Ryougaku and his plan."

"What does that leave us?"

"Well, we have a proposal for you. We'll take care of everything for you. Our men pass the word around, let people know what to do. We'll identify and isolate the ones likely to resist us, discretely of course. When the time is right, we'll spring our trap and let you take command of us."

"What would I do, then? I don't really know how to lead you all."

"Ah," Rot Tooth whisked, "You've already come so far. This should come natural to you."

Why was he so confident in my ability to… whatever he meant? There was much more left unspoken and even my normally timid self became frustrated. It was obvious that both Rat Tooth and Saiji knew more than was going on here. I felt like they were both manipulating me.

"You will do what is best for us and yourself. It is in blood. We who can see, who can see the difference," He nodded to Saiji, "Know where you belong to. We would become one of the few Arrow Catcher companies who are truly being led – as opposed to being merely 'supervised' by a lowlife Kai sergeant."

"There are only two things you have to do. First, you're going to prove your worth to those who are ignorant of you or have heard of your dishonor."

"And how will I do that?" I asked skeptically.

"You're going to duel Ryougaku."

"What?! But can't we simply kill him and get over with it? There's no reason why—"

"You must to prove yourself or you must die!" Rot Tooth threatened suddenly. I was taken aback at this.

"The veterans will back you if you have fought the dual honorably. The rest will have no choice but to fall in line, including the Han, though they will do so grudgingly or resist. That's why you have to do the second task. We'll have to negotiate with the Kai over there." He nodded his head back at Lord Oyamada's infantrymen.

"You want us to surrender to the Kai?" I asked, a little confused.

"No. We won't accept any of that. They need us to survive against the Han and we need them to keep the Han in our ranks in check. We are too few in numbers to do anything else, and if we fight each other we'll simply be killing us all off and let the Han mop up the rest. You're going to negotiate some… concessions for us. If they need our help, we want something in return. Hold it in their honor, or the agreement won't stick. If Lord Oyamada is still wounded and unconscious, then Captain Tsuku will most likely be the commanding officer. He will make sure their side honors the deal."

"So," He concluded, "This won't work with anyone else, including Ryougaku. Captain Tsuku is a good man, even to us Arrow Catchers. He will be able to see you as we do. Do you understand your importance in this plan?"

"I think I do…" Actually, I didn't. There was no sense in why I was the one who was supposed to do all of this. I was still just a boy. There were far more experienced and professional men who would probably do a much better job. The original plan Saiji and I had concocted was completely thrown out. This was much more dangerous.

But it was the only choice I had. "I'll do it."

"Good. Prepare your equipment and sharpen your weapon. We're starting our insurrection against Ryougaku around noon." With a final spit, he turned away and called to several of his friends.

Saiji led me away from the wounded and dead, heading back to our spots. I felt uneasy for the moment ahead. We planned to win over an influential Arrow Catcher to take charge and ambush Ryougaku before he could go too far. Instead, the opposite happened. I had to duel Ryougaku, and if I survived, take command of the Arrow Catchers.

The idea was wrong on many levels. I was just fifteen. I didn't have any training or schooling to deal with this situation.

I glanced at Saiji. His broad-shouldered physique moved in a purposeful way. He seemed unfazed by this new turn of events. Suspicion deepened within me. Did he predict this turn of events? Did he collaborate with Shinichiro beforehand? How much could I trust Saiji, anyway? It was obvious he had some ulterior motive. The question was, did he really have both our interests at heart, or just his own?

* * *

I learned to read the daily movement of the sun after getting rid of my dependence on clocks and watches. I ticked the hours internally as I estimated how long I was up, what the sun's position was then, and what the sun's position was now. It was noon now, at least for a while, to my estimation. I wore a full set of wooden-scaled armor, painted in a thick coat of black. I didn't wear any helmet, though. Ryougaku didn't either as well. Helmets and masks were strictly a privilege of the Samurai noble class, and there weren't any of them among the Arrow Catchers.

A woodcrafter and blacksmith who were friends with Rat Tooth fixed up the twin-bladed spear I scavenged from the battlefield. The shaft had been shortened by two hand lengths while the leather wrap was removed, cleaned and rewrapped. Both blades were sharpened and oiled, although I requested some minor adjustments to the hooking blade. I already knew how to cut and stab, but I was afraid I would get the hooking blade caught between something hard. The changes made is slightly easier to free it if it was trapped somewhere.

To be honest, I was extremely nervous about dueling Ryougaku. We'd be facing an open battleground with no obstacles. His two illegal Samurai blades made him a difficult opponent. I had never really fought someone armed with a sword before. Spears were cheaper and more efficient in battlefields, especially against cavalry.

But this was foot-to-foot. Dismounted Samurai expressly wielded katanas to counter spearmen. The frontline of a spear formation was impregnable, but a clever mix of flanking and misdirection could expose weaker parts. The Samurai could then force the spearmen to duel with them within the chaotic ranks, which favored the sword over the spear.

By shortening the spear, my minimum range would be reduced, but my agility would improve. It would make the spear a less unwieldy weapon to bring it more in line with a nodachi. Still, I was the one who kept the disadvantage.

Ryougaku didn't stay alive by cowardice alone, I was sure of that. It must be immense confidence that dared him to carry his blades as his main weapons. I should at least expect he would know how to use those weapons. Still, I had hardly any idea how he would fight against a spearman. I would soon find out.

"ALL HAIL CLAN IKARI!" Someone suddenly burst in the distance. Was that Rat Tooth!?

"FOR CLAN IKARI!" Several disparate shouts could be heard all over the camp as several strategically placed Arrow Catchers answered the call and started their individual missions. Chaos erupted. Warriors who were previously relaxing were suddenly using the butt-end of their spears to subdue the Han. Others just simply piled on them and bound their arms with rough leather strips. The majority of the Arrow Catchers simply didn't know what to do, and some started to panic. Some aided the veterans; others were so befriended with the Han that they came to their aid instead.

It was fortunate that the short struggle remained non-lethal. There were several instances, where the Han fought all out with their spears. There was so much confusion that I didn't even know if someone was killed.

I looked around to see where Ryougaku was. I could spot senior Han officer Leng Shu surrendering his weapon peacefully to the two bulky Kai veterans, while his formidable neck partner Kaun was bloodied, bruised and restrained on the ground. Even when beaten, he was still not defeated. He raged in his own language and struggled to keep the others off him. The three who restrained him were similarly bruised or cut.

I found Ryougaku near the river. He was at a standoff with six other ex-infantrymen backed up by a few burly craftsmen. He held his katana confidently, though his eyes showed otherwise. He was constantly yelling and arguing, but the former soldiers skillfully herded him away from the waters and towards the middle of the camp. By now, all of the Han were under control and the other Catchers were being filled in. They all had mixed feelings. They thought they could be free from their chains and live their lives as free men. Now they were being told that it was better to fight with the Kai than fight against them.

"Release me! You folks dun' know what yer doing!" the old man yelled. The Catchers didn't relent. They let him keep his swords, but pulled on his neck chain roughly to keep him on the right track. Kaoru, timid and afraid, had no choice but to follow. She surrendered her weapon to the captors long ago.

Finally, he entered the middle of what was a large circle. The dueling ground was prepared and cleared beforehand. Saiji took my shoulder and guided me towards the cleared area. As soon as we reached the edge he let go and pushed me further, almost making me trip. Meekly I approached Ryougaku, whose eyes were wild and mad.

He turned his eyes to me. "You! Ikari-kun! You don't know what y're doing! Don't trust those old bastards to know what's good for you!" He addressed the rest of the crowd. "We are at the edge of freedom! Don't let a few wash-ups ruin it for you! I have waited more than half my lifetime for freedom and I will NOT let anyone take it from me!"

The murmurs and chatter increased. Some seemed poised to resist. Others were swearing loudly at the senior Catchers involved.

The situation was collapsing fast. If something didn't happen soon, the whole plan would unravel and Ryougaku would win. I waited for someone to shut Ryougaku up and calm the crowd, until I realized that I was supposed to do that.

I took a small moment to breathe deeply and gather my confidence. My performance would be paramount in gaining the respect of the others. It was ridiculous of course. How much respect could a fifteen year old manage to earn? Still, I had seen and done worse.

"Silent!" I bellowed.

My relatively immature high-pitched voice cut through the undercurrent of the chatter. Everyone had seemed to snap their attention back to me, increasing the pressure on me ten-fold. My hands grew clammy and poured sweat, which stuck on the leather grip of the spear.

"Men of the 33rd and other Arrow Catcher companies." I spoke with more restraint. "I am not what you would expect from a typical leader. But it is in my _blood_. I come from an ancient line of the Samurai of the north that was betrayed and hunted down after the civil war. I am the sole heir and survivor of clan Ikari. I offer better leadership than Ryougaku."

Actually, it was all a complete lie. Saiji urged me to stick to this story to convince the doubters. It didn't matter if I was really descended from a noble clan or not. I was definitely not a mere commoner, he remarked vaguely.

"Those who have fought with and against a multitude of heroes and legends can attest to my capabilities. They side with me. Ryougaku's plan is foolish and born out of desperation. The only freedom that really matters is freedom in Kaihon, not in this desert wasteland."

"He lies! He is nothing more than the son of a pig farmer and a countryside whore! He is just an arrogant boy who knows NOTHING about our struggles!" His eyes glazed madly at me.

"I, Ikari, challenge you to a duel."

Honor trapped him. He could either accept it or delay by trying to convince the crowd. But even if he did, they would not follow him unless he accepted the duel. To refuse and still claim leadership was not tolerated.

"I'll kill you, Ikari-kun. I'll send you back to your momma in pieces."

His mood darkened. Ryougaku was wielding his katana with both his hands. His stance seemed trained, certainly not improvised. That meant he knew how to fight. I undid the strings that held the spear behind my back. As soon as we were both ready, we bowed to each other, as tradition dictated. We seized each other up, waiting for the one who would start to charge first.

Duels between Arrow Catchers were notoriously difficult. The added element of a lengthy but limited chain burdened the duelists immensely. They had to watch their steps, especially when stepping backwards. The neck partner was allowed to maneuver sideways during the duel, but in no way were they suppose to harm, be harmed or interfere in any other way.

Prolonged duels would certainly cause the chains to tie up or be entangled with each other. It would make distancing from each other impossible and enabled the duelists to pull their opponents to themselves. Perhaps that was why Ryougaku favored to carry blades, despite the taboo. The close combat nature of lengthier duels usually favored the blades and daggers.

Eventually, I approached my opponent. Any delays would favor Ryougaku, since the more time the others had, the more likely they would reject me. I could not afford giving the self-proclaimed captain any more time than was necessary.

My steps echoed loudly over the plains. Everyone focused on the coming spectacle. As soon as I reached a fair distance, within extreme striking range, I lunged. Ryougaku immediately jumped backwards, skillfully avoiding the puddle of chains behind him. Kaoru duly stretched it back to give him room. I could feel Saiji behind me carry a portion of the heavy chains on his shoulders, relieving most of the weight on my neck and giving me more speed.

"Y're twenty years too young to defeat me, boy!" Ryougaku yelled as he bounced forward to attempt to cut my spear tip.

I spun the spear around its axis and tried to hook the katana with the hooking blade. Both blades met each other in a large spark. CHINK! I pulled with all my might, leveraging not just with my legs but also my hips as I turned sideways. Ryougaku was surprised but quickly let go all his force and the katana slid away smoothly.

"Nice trick, but it's obvious you don't know hell. I've fought plenty of those kind before. They're just a trick." He grinned.

I stayed silent, preferring to focus on the battle. While I was still considering my next attack, Ryougaku surprisingly jumped forward with an overhead chop. His large curved blade arced magnificently in the air, though unfortunately in the position to split open my head. I dodged by half-jumping and half-rolling to the left. My chain was going to be horribly tangled, but I paid no mind to it. I tried to keep a medium to long distance as Ryougaku relentlessly pressed me forward with refined battle line techniques. His strokes were almost always perfectly executed. My unfamiliarity against bladed weapons almost proved to be my undoing as he managed to draw first blood, nicking my right forearm.

"AAAggh!"

"I've got you, you impudent boy!"

But before he could finish his diagonal slice I shot up my spear, neatly wedging the katana between my spear's stabbing blade and hooking blade. I pushed my weight behind my weapon, forcing Ryougaku to fall back. He started to wheeze.

"Don't you see what's better," He argued as he prepared his blade. "We are _meant_ to be free. The Han rebels are not as frightening as you think. They WILL accept us with open arms."

I rapidly closed and tried to stab his shoulder. As expected, he parried it easily, taking advantage of the upright position of the hooking blade. But that was not my real target, however, and as soon as my spear bounced back from his parry, I made another stab at his left foot. He awkwardly dodged backwards, this time not alert enough to avoid stepping on his chains. I took advantage of his unsteady footing and made a series of rapid cuts against his upper body, forcing him to swing his upper body, increasing his unbalance. When it looked like he was almost about to fall, I closed in and aimed my lunge straight at his chest.

CLANG!

The loud sound of metal against metal reverberated through the battle circle, and the crowd went wild at the excitement. Just as I thought I had finished Ryougaku easily, he seemed to escape death with another one of his tricks. His katana lay forgotten on the ground as he blocked and trapped my spear with his neck chain. He pulled and twisted it, forcing me forward. I tried to pull back, but somehow his grip was tighter than my own. With a sudden heave I was dangerously overbalanced. He took advantage of my vulnerability by keeping me held with one hand, while the other unsheathed his second blade. His shorter wakizashi was much better suited to close combat, and I was perfectly aware of the danger.

"DIE!"

I had no choice but to release my weapon, which clattered uselessly against the ground. Ryougaku shot past me. He still held the chained spear and his blade, so he was not able to retaliate immediately. I took my end of my neck chain and pulled heavily. Saiji on the opposite immediately saw what I had planned, and kept his own grip solid. The chain on the ground pulled tight and sprang upwards to hit Ryougaku's leg. The old man gave a cry of pain and tripped, dropping both of his weapons.

I picked up his katana and ran towards him. I tried a downwards stroke, intending to cut his legs, but it was quickly parried by his wakizashi. Somehow, he managed to get up to a crouching position and used it to spring his forward motion. His shorter blade threatened to cut my neck so I had no choice but to dodge backwards. My blade swung wildly but luck seemed to be with me as I made a shallow but savage cut to his wrist, causing him to cry out again.

"Don't kill me," He gasped, though he still managed to keep some composure and his grip. "I know what's better."

The adrenalin rushed within me, fueling my anger and my battle lust. I wanted nothing more to cut him down. As I started my slow but determined steps, something interrupted me.

BANG!

Pain exploded within me as something hard collided with my head! I immediately rushed back from both Ryougaku and the direction of the unknown attack. My chains were hopelessly entangled with Ryougaku's, forcing him to follow me. His forward momentum threatened to crash against me, so I quickly parried his feeble slash and kicked hard against his stomach. He fell back uselessly and barfed his horsemeat supper.

The stench barely affected me. I concentrated fully on the one who dared to interrupt my duel.

"I-ka-ri." Wangan Bao uttered, his face full of despair and anger, as well as plenty of bruises. He was holding his neck chain – the other end still stuck to Wangan Lee's cut-off upper body. From the head to the shoulders, the end of the chain was a revolting weapon. Blood and pieces of gore still splattered around the area as he swung it around seemingly casually.

"Yess!" Ryougaku hoarse voice pushed. "Avenge your brother. Help my cause! I will lead you to your other brothers!"

Bao swung the remains of his brother towards me again in a rapid jab only a martial artist could manage to perform. I dodged and tried to hack at his dead brother's body, but merely manage to lodge the katana in the extraordinary hard flesh. It was different from the other Han!

With half-mad foreign battle cries, Bao rapidly closed the distance. His deadly fists connected with my chest and my jaw, disorienting me immediately. The immense pain fueled my desperation. I slashed my sword against his forearms. Instead of cutting or chopping off the limbs, something remarkable happened. Bao managed to catch the blade with his bare hands. I tried to dislodge my weapon, but his grip was relentless. Abandoning the futile action, I instead tried something more unexpected and crashed my shoulders against his. He seemed genuinely surprised and let go of me as he fell backwards.

As Bao fell backwards, I prepared to finish him with a lethal strike. Before I could start my motion however, a spear looped in front of me from behind me. The sharp hook lodged against my torso, digging it in my flesh and drawing immense amounts of blood.

"AAAAAAAAAAUUU—"

All my rational thoughts flew out the window. The only thing I knew was massive agony. I did not know how deep the wound was, but it was a terrible one nonetheless. I savagely ripped my body away from the hook and wildly tried to back of from both of my opponents. Bao was already standing up and holding his chain. His blood-smeared brother followed the other end of the chain, painting the sands red and black. Ryougaku, bruised but still combat capable, flourished his spear in a manner that proclaimed his superiority.

This wasn't fair! Why had Bao managed to escape his restrainers and interfere with the duel? I pressed my hands desperately against the cut. Blood kept gushing and my attempts were proving feeble. My consciousness seemed to be fading, slowly but surely. My enemies were closing in on me. Bao slung his brother lazily at me, smacking my head and amplifying the massive head aches that I already suffered from. Only moments separated me from my death as Ryougaku was in range to put me to death.

Was I going to die so early, so young?

…

I wanted to feel angry. I wanted to gather up the last remaining bits of my energy to fight back with fury and might. Somehow, though, I felt at peace. The thought of death did not frighten me as much anymore. Was it because it was so inevitable this time? Or was it because I had danced with death so often that it was tiring by now?

Cold mortality flowed within my very being. I felt immune to the struggles of the world. The pain in my head faded away. My stomach seemed to have finished leaking blood. As my life ebbed away, I surrendered myself to the inevitable. My sight faded away to a strange whiteness.

Yessss...

…

..

.

.

.

HATEANGERHATEANGERHATEANGERLOVEHATEANGERHATEANGERDESPAIRANGERHOPEANGERHOPELESSANGER  
DEATHLIFEDEATHLIFEDEATHLIFECOMPASSIONLIFEDEATHNECROSISDEATHLIFELIFELIFEDEATH  
REVENGESUFFERRENVENGESUFFERATONEREVENGESUFFERSINSSUFFERREVENGE  
BLOODFLESHBLOODFLESHHUNGERBLOODFLESHFEASTFLESHFLESH  
GUTSINTESTINESGUTSINTESTINESHEARTGUTS  
RIPTHROATRIPTHROATRIPTHROAT  
EATEYESEATEYES  
KILL  
KILL  
KILL  
KILL  
KILL

"_U__**U**__u_uuaA**UU**AUU_GUAA_UAU**AU**UAA_UA_UAUAGFH**AHGHAU**GUAGUG_UA__**AG**_**AHA**GH**GA**_H_!"

I ignored Ryougaku's pathetically feeble thrust, instead using the shaft as leverage to pull me against his body. My claws immediately swiped one of his eyeballs, tearing it apart in a delicious explosion of blood. I was howling in glee as the drops splattered across my face. I could practically taste his despair! The coward was ganging up rapidly against his little slave Kaoru, who seemed more frightened of me than of him. I let lose another howl as I fed upon the fear of the crowd.

"You demon of darkness!" Bao screamed as he hypocritically swung the remains of his own brother against my once-bleeding stomach. I let the head impact my chest head on, confident it would do no harm. As soon as the force disappeared, I grabbed the squishy flesh and pulled the annoyingly tough Han martial artist towards my waiting jaws.

His fist tried to meet my face, but I bent my head sideways with inhuman speed. Faster than he could pull back his fist, I snapped back my head and sunk my fangs into the tendons of his deliciously salty forearm. He cried like no tomorrow, which fed further my exhilaration! Oh, the excitement! With a heavy pull, I used my formidable neck muscles to tear out the flesh. Bao flopped back uselessly and wracked in pain, but I was not about to let him escape. I grabbed his chain and pulled him back towards me. I ignored his other fist and immediately grabbed his throat. Though his body outweighed and outsized my feeble own, I still managed to lift him up, choking him of his precious air.

"HuahahahahahahahAHAHahahAHAH!"

I threw his torn and broken body down against my spear. I calmly took the end of the shaft and positioned the hook under his neck. My feet were planted on his thick forehead to make sure he be able to squirm out of his final moment.

"Die."

With a wrenching pull, I forced the hook to go through his neck. His screams were horrendously electrifying. His death was more arousing than anything else I had imagined. Flesh parted and bones crushed while his entire throat was torn apart in a fountain of blood and glory. My weapon coated in a magnificent display of red and human remains. I slowly put the blade against my mouth and licked the blade teasingly.

Ryougaku had retreated to the edge of the battle circle, which was losing its coherence. Everyone except Saiji was horrified. I stared straight at Ryougaku's remaining eye. The pathetic old man held Kaoru before his own body, hoping somehow to shield him against my wrath. How amusing.

With a bloody smirk on my face, I waltzed over to the terrified pair. I picked up Ryougaku's discarded wakizashi. It would be entertaining to see how the following moment would play out.

"RyouGaku.."

"D-D-Don't!" He wailed.

I stretched the tip of my spear towards his intact eye. His head frantically bent backwards as he fell more and more towards the ground. He still held the almost catatonic Kaoru with both of his hands. He lifted her up to shield his face.

"Hahahahaha…"

This would be so amusing. Wordlessly I crouched and bent closer to the pair. Ryougaku was squealing madly. I slowly stretched the arm that held my wakizashi, and passed it to Kaoru. Her arm was shaking as she accepted the weapon. Half frightened and half-confused, she could not even manage a question. Chuckling, I pulled her away from Ryougaku's feeble grasp and turned her around so she could face her former tormentor.

I moved my head over her shoulder and whispered to her ear, "Kill him. Slay him. I know you want to."

The poor thing was so stiff that I decided to give a helping hand. I dropped my spear and held her closer to me. I took a moment to admire her softness before I embraced my palm on her sword hand. I slowly guided her blade to Ryougaku's defenseless body. First, I moved it to his manhood. Kaoru's arms were still limp, but it didn't matter. Ryougaku's screams surpassed even Bao's in agony as we brutally tore it away from his worthless shell. We then cut open his belly and let his intestines pour out into the open. All the while, I continued to whisper her soothing and instructions. She seemed to lull against my will, and eventually gave in her basest desire.

"Hahahahahaha!" "HahahaHAhahAH!" With a maniacal laugh that matched my own I let my own arm go limp as she directed the short blade against Ryougaku's remaining eye. He was barely conscious by then, but he must have surely suffered greatly as his life poured out. I felt flesh part and bones scrape from the echoes of the blade in Kaoru's small soft hands. I could not resist giving her a kiss on the cheek.

Before I could do more, however, Saiji pulled my body back and closed my mouth with his palm. With shining yellow light in his eyes his stare matched my own as he subtly cast an unknown spell. Only Kaoru and I could hear his alien words.

My body grew limp as my consciousness fled.

* * *

**Author's Notes**: I changed the rating of this fic to M. It was probably overdue.

The meeting between Asuka and Shinji is getting closer. Lol, I must have said that lots of times by now, so you don't have to believe me. I think that there are a lot of readers who have become disaffected because after a combined one-hundred-and-twenty-thousand word count between both our fanfics, the meeting still hasn't happened. Well, I can just respond as I've done the last few times that this story is not for the impatient. The pace is slow and the amount of effort put into writing this is high. Also, despite the amount of words already written, we are just at the very start of a much larger overarching storyline.

Thank you for reading my work so far. I will appreciate it very much if you'll place a review. You can tell me anything you like, but don't hesitate to point out things that are really bad. Though I do not reply to every review, I take everyone's word seriously. The review button's just below, so it's not much trouble to pass some comments, even anonymously. In any case, thanks again and I hope you'll continue to read my works!


	10. The Master's Junction

**IMPORTANT:** This fanfic is connected with Sesshy's Girl 00's fanfic **Mistress of Tyranny**. To enjoy this fanfic properly, you should read my partner's fic too. Check out my favorites in my profile to access it.

**EDIT:** You are allowed to view **Map 1** from chapter 7 and onwards of this fic. The link is on my profile. Click my penname on the top left corner to access it. Please refrain from looking at the other maps until you reached the relevant chapter in question to avoid spoilers.

* * *

_**Master of Corruption**_

_The Master's __Junction – Pt 1_

_By RahXephon and Sesshy's Girl 00_

* * *

I woke up.

Somewhat.

A harsh wind brushed against my bruised cheek. The sand seemed to scrape all over me. With a sudden jerk, I raised myself to see what was going on. The twilight orange glow showed me that I had passed out for at least a few hours. Pain wracked through my entire body – my sides in particular. I looked down at myself. Some thick fabric bandaged up my torso. What was surprising was the relative quality of it. It was not made out of scavenged sweaty shirts. This must have been an expensive blanket or cover. Normally, nobody would be willing to waste it so quickly for a wounded man.

The rushing of water tingled my ears. I was lying close to the river. It seemed that someone had cleaned me up as well. Most of the sweat and dirt on my body was gone. Somehow, that left me feeling more vulnerable instead of less.

My eyes darted back and forth, hoping to find out what was going on. The camp was different, somehow. The mood was a lot tenser. Everyone was grimfaced and eying either the Kai or me.

Of course, they would stare at me. The details were still fuzzy in my head but I knew that I had gone terribly out of control. Something _dark_ had engulfed me, taking control over my body. What was worse was that I enjoyed it!

I followed the looping trail of the chain still attached to mfy neck. My neck partner, Saiji, was smoking horsemeat. He sat alone at his humble fire but I knew that he was involved in far more events than was evident. Millions of questions sparked my mind. How did he chase away the presence? Was _he_ responsible for it in the first place? Was I just a pawn to him, to enchant and to afflict whenever it suited his purposes?

Everyone involved told me that I was supposed to lead them but I felt it was the opposite case. Bitterness emerged my heart. I was constantly being pushed around. I felt like I was being treated as a helpless kid, while I had as much right as anyone who fought and killed.

Saiji had noticed that I was awake. He calmly came over and gave me a stick of horsemeat. Blankly I began to eat it, not really minding the heat nor the bland taste. I have had much worse than freshly cooked meat and have learned long ago that you never took anything edible for granted. My mouth was aching for some refreshment. Saiji had already anticipated my needs and passed me a water skin full of lukewarm river water. I was slowly regaining my strength.

"Saiji," I started, "What happened to me at the duel?"

His broad face seemed to scowl a little as he said, "You were possessed."

"By who?"

He didn't answer, which was typical of him. It might be that he just didn't know, but I held some suspicion that he might have been responsible for all of it. However, I didn't want to risk voicing my opinion, so I quietly let it drop.

I took a moment to look around the camp. The Arrow Catchers were all worrying about something. I had to find out what it was that made them so anxious. "What has happened while I was unconscious?"

Saiji let out a long, heavy breath. That was a rare break from his usual composure. It couldn't be anything good.

"You won the duel against Ryougaku despite the interference of Wangan Bao. I apologize for not being able to stop him from fighting you." He seemed genuinely sorry and lowered his head towards me.

"No… it's alright Saiji. He… though we were friends these last few weeks, he was the one who chose to fight me to the death. It does not bother me anymore."

And it was true. I had seen so much death and destruction, that another kill was just another drop in the bucket. I knew as well as any Arrow Catcher that your friends might not be around the following day. That you were the one who would eventually put an end to the other's life, made little difference. Friendship and alliances shifted often in these times.

"He was let out on purpose. There was a belief that you needed to regain your honor after you had interrupted the duel between Captain Tsuku and the Han officer."

This did not surprise me. It was typical of the Kaihonese, and in a way, I understood the sentiment. Their way of thinking was ultimately not much different, from what I had faced in my own world. Japan and Kaihon, were they truly different at all? They shared the same language, the same people and as my gaze swept over the camp, even the same spirit.

"He was a good man in the end." I added, for no reason in particular except that it had to be said.

Saiji didn't respond. The Wangan brothers kept close to themselves and to the other Han but they worked for their share and were genuinely friendly to the other Catchers.

I sighed. The circumstances were unfortunate. If his brother were alive and if there were enough Kai infantrymen left to keep us under guard, I wouldn't have had to kill him.

However, it wasn't my conscious self who killed him in the end. Whatever seemed to possess me had left its mark on my stomach wound. There were aches but no pain. It was just some sort of burning sensation, which was ominously trailing the cut. It bothered me but as long as I could fight, I had more important things to do.

"What now, Saiji?"

He nodded towards a spot behind me and I turned to look. There, at the center of the Arrow Catcher camp and circled around a larger fire, were the veterans of what was left of the four Arrow Catcher companies. They had long discarded their flimsy numbered clothing for real armor. Han armor. Some were missing some parts, like a left armguard or a shoulder pad but otherwise they were armored in metal. Others, lower in the hierarchy, only had to contend with the wooden-scaled Kai armor. It might stop a glancing attack or a few weak slashes but it offered meager defense against anything serious. I held my hand to my stomach to remind myself of that fact.

"I suppose I have a set of that as well? I am the leader of this bunch, after all."

Although it didn't seem like it, the way the veterans discussed and argued with each other about certain decisions. They were quite agitated and I planned to find out why.

Saiji stood up and headed towards the improvised tent to the side. He was about to open the front curtain, when he stopped at the last moment. He turned back to me and motioned that I should join him. Though tired, I dropped the remains of my half-chewed food and stood up. When I was right next to him, he delicately brushed the curtain aside, as if any crude movement might frighten whatever was inside.

She was already frightened. When she recognized my face, she gave a wordless cry, one of utter fear and desperation. She scampered backwards, against the other side of the tent and threatened to push even further.

"No, stop, you'll—" I said as I moved forwards to calm the girl but a hard hand shoved me backwards and out of her sight.

I was stunned.

"Saiji, wh-what's going on?"

He didn't say anything for a moment. The long pauses were beginning to annoy me but I had to know the answer. Finally, he replied, "You have won the duel against Ryougaku."

I tried to remember the sequence of events, of what had happened in that fight. Nothing came to my mind except a few bloody glimpses. There was nothing in my memory that could explain why she was so afraid. Nevertheless, common sense did.

Kaoru was a lanky teenager. She had always been very timid and silent when she was with others. Ryougaku attracted everyone's attention, of course, so she was largely ignored. Her wild, short hair, rough skin and malnourished form gave no hint to her gender. It was just a coincidence that I realized there was a woman among the Arrow Catchers. There was no end to Ryougaku's ambition. He received large favors and wielded large influence because he controlled her. He might even be her father. The thought sickened me even more. Who would want to use their child in such an extraordinary crude fashion?

As the implications sank in, I realized that despite getting rid of her worst nightmare, she probably knew nothing else. She might even be afraid of me continuing Ryougaku's practice. I felt utterly sick at that. My heart bled for Kaoru. I wanted nothing more than to help her and to shelter her from other the Catchers who desired to claim her as their own. However, it seemed that it was not my place to do so.

"Take care of her, Saiji."

He nodded and entered the tent. I never figured him being good at caring for other people but it seemed that somehow, his heart wasn't entirely made of stone. The gasps and whimpers subsided in the tent and a subdued voice was softly talking. After a long moment, the curtain parted and both Saiji and Kaoru exited the tent.

They had both put on sets of armor. Saiji was completely decked in Han armor. Both of his arms were full of another set of the same Han armor, though it was probably more suited to my size. Kaoru though, wore a bloodied and cracked set of Kai armor. Some of the wooden scales had been scraped off and there was a large red stain around a gap on the side. It was most likely one of the few sets of armors that fit Kaoru's small body. She stared anywhere but at me and kept close to Saiji while trying to keep her distance from me.

She tried to cover her face from any onlookers who knew her for what she was. She probably wished she had a helm and mask. There were plenty of good quality Han helmets but no one really dared to wear one. It was an unspoken law that none would violate the rule that only Samurai were the only ones allowed to wear armored headgear. The Han helmets were instead smelted down at improvised furnaces. Any Arrow Catcher with metalworking skills was working hard to produce whatever they were making.

Kaoru stood by the side as Saiji started to help me in the much heavier iron gear. I felt my muscles ache as more and more weight started to press down upon them. As Saiji finished up by tying all the pieces together, I started to move my arms experimentally. Surprisingly, I was not as encumbered as I thought I might be. I still had a lot of freedom of motion and any strikes I would make would add the armor's momentum with me. I could rely on the solid iron to block and deflect most attacks.

The sluggishness and the stamina wasted on moving my body was going to be the main disadvantage. However, it wasn't really different from operating a low-synced EVA. I wasn't completely untrained.

We finally picked up our weapons. Saiji had recovered the one I had used in the duel. I wasn't really sure the L-shaped spear blade was useful. After all, I failed to hook anything seriously so far. In addition, my opponent could use the extra extension to block my attacks more easily or pull me in if he was stronger. Still, I said nothing and simply strapped it on my back. The Han armor was convenient. Saiji did likewise with his own moon blade spear. Kaoru hesitantly took the remaining weapon, a wakizashi, and carefully sheathed it in what looked to be a hastily crafted scabbard. She looked like she wanted nothing more than to throw it away. The girl needed a weapon though and she was probably useless with a spear.

Before we headed over to the veterans, I asked one more question. "Saiji, please tell me what's the matter and why everyone is so nervous."

He didn't answer and simply strode forward. Kaoru meekly followed behind him, carrying the heavy bundle of chains under her arms. Spots of red around the empty end reminded me coolly of the person who used to be attached to it.

I sighed, and followed suit.

* * *

"What do you mean, you can't have it finished by tomorrow?!" Itou, the master woodcrafter, angrily shouted.

The equally angry master blacksmith, Murou, replied, "Most of them have never even worked with iron, heavens damn it all! Our furnaces simply can't get hot enough to make it easily malleable and it will take days to construct a proper one."

"We'll be out of food and starved to death by then!"

"Then make another plan!"

The shouts were getting more and more pronounced, until everyone fell silent as they saw me approach. They looked at me with mixed feelings of fear and contempt, but not with respect. I dreaded this moment. Somehow, I had to gain authority over these battle-hardened older men. They all spoke of how I somehow had _something_ that made me suitable for command but they never told me what it was. If it weren't for Saiji, I would have dismissed it all as a lie. But Saiji said the same thing. Either it was genuine, or Saiji was secretly going along to manipulate me. Whatever games these men played, I had to stop it all. I wasn't particularly knowledgeable in ancient warfare. Though the men were ultimately working in the best interest of the Arrow Catchers, I knew that they would be too stubborn in certain issues. They needed a reasoned voice, even if it was just from a fifteen year old.

Some of the more immoral men were plainly leering at Kaoru who made a fearful cry. Saiji quickly acted to block her from most of their sights. His subtle, angry glare subdued every one of them. The message was clear and so was the threat. Saiji was probably the most formidable fighter among our ranks and no one dared to cross him. They focused their frustrations on me instead.

"It's the kid."

"We're busy and we don't need you interfering right now."

"Get away from us with your demonic ways."

The comments and insults grew more and more rude. I stood there for a moment, clueless. I fought for them, bled for them and this was how they repay me? Anger crept up within me. If there was one person who deserved to decide on matters, it was I. The complete arrogance of that thought never even occurred to me. As my stomach wound itched and burned more, I grew more and more furious. A quick glance at Saiji told me that he wouldn't intervene. It was my job to get all these men under control.

"SHUT UP!" I yelled as far as my high-pitched voice could go.

Some of them indeed shut up but there were plenty of furious and frightened faces. Others, further away from the fire, stopped what they were doing and stared at me. Good.

I loosened the string holding my spear in place. My hands calmly retrieved it from my back. Stepping closer to the fire so that the orange glow would make me more visible, I dug my weapon blade first into the ground.

"Everyone here," I swept my arms over all the veterans who had taken charge, "Can duel me if they think I am not worthy to lead you all."

The men grew confused or fearful. Some of the bolder ones actually considered fighting me. They knew I wasn't a pushover but I wasn't as good as Saiji either.

When it seemed that a group of three ex-soldiers were about to accept my challenge, I calmly added, "If you won't duel me alone, then I won't duel alone as well." And gestured lazily to Saiji.

He was slightly surprised by my move but quickly wiped the surprise off his face.

The veterans were all genuinely silent now. Although I hadn't planned to say all of this in advance, it was probably the best way forward. Any single one of them may duel me, but it wasn't certain that they would survive. If they attack me with numbers, then it would cease to be a duel and Saiji would be able to help fight back. Finally, if they chose to ignore me altogether, then despite their considerable influence over the rest of the Catchers, they would lose all their credibility and the little legitimacy they had left. They'd be considered cowards. For the Kaihonese, there was nothing worse than cowards, especially those in command. I could quickly win over most of the Arrow Catchers and usurp command, if needed.

I just hoped they wouldn't be stupid enough to force the issue. They should have realized they had no way to go.

"Bwahahahahahaha!" The laugh came so sudden and so unexpected, but helped ease the tension.

"You've got guts kid, and I like that." The massive Yoroichi the Butcher commented almost cheekily. "You'll make a good commander yet!"

"It's Lord Ikari, or Captain Ikari." I stated seriously. To gain power over them I needed acknowledgement. Though the situation was anything but typical, I knew that the Arrow Catchers all clung to an invisible hierarchy. They didn't know anything else. Only Saiji knew the truth. Even if my legitimacy was based upon a complete lie, as long as they never find out, I would be fine.

Yoroichi straightened up before bowing deeply. "I apologize, Lord Ikari." He spoke in a very military manner.

The Butcher was actually one of the last people I had expected to surrender first. He earned his nickname not because he was a real butcher, but because of the brutal manner in which he slew his opponents. Often chopping off limbs or lopping off heads, his brutal strength was universally feared and respected. He was definitely one of the most muscled Arrow Catchers. He honed his muscles and battle skills constantly whenever he wasn't eating or sleeping. As he stayed alive in the grueling world of the Catchers and turned middle age, he just continued to grow bigger. His rough, ugly beard covering his entire jaw was supposedly hid a particularly nasty scar. Clinging to his hip was a massive modified guandao. The moon blade was at least twice as large as Saiji's blade. The shaft was halved in length to make it work more as a cleaver than a pole arm.

Still, he was the most bloodthirsty of the veterans, and I had expected he would readily relish the chance to duel with me. Instead, he kept his ego in control and submitted completely to me. Did he have an ulterior motive? His eyes were hard to read when his head was still down in a bow. Somehow, though, I got the feeling that I could trust him to be true to his word. I was skeptical but I had nothing better. Still, the Butcher was not someone to consider lightly.

One by one, the others knew that they had lost and followed the Butcher. Each individually pledged to serve me. Even if they didn't agree to it in heart, it was important to feed expectations by making this symbolic gesture. They had surrendered complete authority to me.

The outcome eased my heart, but I kept my mind alert and assumed a more confident posture. I had to look like every bit the officer that I wasn't. I didn't really have any good examples. The closest one in my mind was Misato, but she was the worst role model for this situation. I thought about the other Lords. There was Lord General Nobukata and Lord Oyamada. I only met them briefly once, but both of them somehow made strong impressions, especially Nobukata. Also, everyone, even among the Arrow Catchers, loved Captain Tsuku.

However, I simply didn't know enough about their command styles and their way of working. There was no way I would be able to dictate commands for long, since I wasn't knowledgeable enough to know what I would be doing. I needed a way of leading professionals. These were all craftsmen and soldiers. They were experts in their own field and ran the real affairs down the chain of command. Their advice was essential to our survival.

Unfortunately, no answers came to my rescue. I would have to trust my instincts to manage this situation.

I summoned my courage even more and managed to look implacable, somewhat. "Please tell me the status of our current situation."

The tender-looking Souma spoke at first. "Ikari," he started, not quite giving as much respect as he ought to.

Still, it was obvious that more serious issues were at hand, so I let it pass. "We are as helpless as a wingless sparrow. A few of our surviving horsemen scouted the area. The news they brought back is dire. The enemy Han that had ambushed us sits beyond the hillside to the east. Their forces number in the many hundreds, though not many riders are left."

He gestured grandly at the barren darkening landscape where the sun had almost set. He then turned to the opposite side, beyond the river. "Another force arrived from the west. We can only speculate that they are reinforcements from the Iron City. Their forces are much vaster. Some think that as many as two-thousand Han wait beyond our sight."

Two-thousand Han. No wonder everyone was in a virtual state of panic.

"It gets worse." Sergeant Souma continued. "When the scouts neared their camp, they were repelled by arrows. Iron arrows."

The implication was obvious. With a dreadful lack of cavalry, we were practically defenseless against ranged attacks. I looked around to see if we had any live horses around, but I could only spot a dozen tended to by a former stable master. There must be more, I thought. The scouts were probably still using them.

The Butcher pitched in, his face displaying nothing but sternness. "We are evenly matched by the marauders to the east, but beyond the rivers await a force up to three times our numbers, if we count the Kai to our side."

"That is another problem." Added Souma softly.

The charming Souma seemed completely out of place. Slim and handsome, he was quite unlike the typical veteran Arrow Catchers. While others became more and more hardened from the harsh realities of war, Souma simply brushed the stresses off. Like a flower, he occasionally swayed with the wind, but continued to keep in bloom. Nobody really knew how he ended up here, but the most convincing rumor suggested he was some kind lover to a higher-ranking officer. They must have had a vicious breakup but Souma seemed to survive, despite losing his protection. His previous rank as sergeant earned him some respect, though his looks and charm made him seem more like a lieutenant.

Souma's neck partner, Ouza One-Eye, explained. "We tried to approach the Kai camp repeatedly, but they often started to attack. We shouted our demands to them but they wouldn't accept." The ex-soldier shook his head. "We're vastly outnumbered and we need this," he slapped his scavenged Han armor, "to be able to stand a chance against either force."

I worked the words in my head. "So," I started, "The Kai still want to keep us as prisoners? Remove our armor and take away our weapons until the very last moment?"

One-Eye nodded.

"It's crazy but they wouldn't listen. They don't believe there's a large force west of us. They don't have any horses left so they couldn't scout so far." He shook his head again.

"So, let me get this right." I said. "How many of us are there?"

Souma answered. "We have a little over one companies' worth of Arrow Catchers and the Kai have about three companies of spear infantry. That rounds to about eight hundred men."

"And the enemy?"

"There are at least one-thousand to the east and up to two-thousand to the west. That makes up three-thousand in total. They have more cavalry than us and an unknown number of archers."

We were indeed in an impossible situation. Our previous battle against the marauders had gone badly. They had ambushed us completely and had slain at least half our numbers. Since there were more Kai soldiers than Catchers, they lost more of their numbers. They eventually didn't have enough men to keep the Catchers under control, leading to the current separation. The Kai camp was a small distance away, centered on a formidable stone bridge.

"So what's the current plan?" I asked.

They were completely silent and looked uncertain. It became obvious that they didn't really have a solid approach. That was understandable, considering the immense challenges we faced.

The master blacksmith eventually responded. "My men are working on smelting down leftover iron equipment, mostly Han swords and helmets. We're trying to craft shields to protect our forces against arrows and lengthy spikes to fortify our position against cavalry." He looked momentarily enraged, "We shouldn't waste time bending this cursed metal to our will."

"That's because you're just too incompetent!" Itou the master woodcrafter replied.

Murou spat back. "Well you're not doing any better fixing the wagons!"

"..Most of the good wood is being used to erect barricades."

"Feh, what good that will make."

"Wait," I interrupted, "So our plan is to wait and let them overrun us?"

"Ikari," One-Eye began, "We are not presenting our bellies to the eagle. Rather, we are digging in and building more defenses. It's not much but it's all we can do."

"Our defenses will be as thick as a turtle." His neck mate, Souma, added in a smooth tone.

I considered the situation and the information presented so far. It was not easy to see we were still hopeless. The problem was that there weren't any viable alternatives.

"We will only become a wounded turtle, with its shell cracked and its teeth biting its own mouth." I concluded.

Before the others could reply, I asked, "When can we expect an attack?"

One-eye looked uneasy and swept his gaze in the blackness of the night. "Tonight would be the perfect time for an ambush. Both enemy armies are fully prepared. It was only fortune that the river makes contact between these two forces difficult. If they knew their combined forces could crush us easily, then they would have attacked by now."

"Both armies both chose not to attack." Souma revealed. "They must have seen our separate camps and deducted what had happened. They know that there is sentiment among the Arrow Catchers that it is better to defect to the Han."

"The problem is," He continued, "Considering our situation, it is indeed better to surrender."

"Never!" Someone shouted.

Internally, I agreed. The duel would have been for nothing, and it was obvious that the Han were on the losing side of this war. However, it was pointless to align with a powerful but distant power.

The ultimate problem was that we were alone and weak. But were there any better solutions? My mind worked to find a way out of this.

"We can't surrender, and staying to defend this area is a hopeless cause. But are these our only choices?" I mused aloud.

A crazy idea brushed my mind. "What if we attack them instead? We can't survive an attack from both groups. They might already have contact with each other or they might have already planned an attack. In any case, we're letting them do what they want. It's better to take the initiative."

"This is madness!" Murou bellowed. "They will surely expect such a desperate act, and there is not a single way we could annihilate the eastern army with our numbers if we throw ourselves at their strategic defensive position."

"We can only attack in one direction of their eastern camp. Their other sides are protected by cliffs and rough terrain." Souma added.

"What about an attack on the west camp?" I replied.

The blacksmith objected again. "That's more madness! They outnumber us three-to-one and they're further apart so there's no way we can reach them before dawn."

"Why can't we reach them in time before light arrives?"

Rot Tooth, who was resting his wounds nearby, answered my question. "It takes time to mobilize our men, Ikari. We need to dismantle our tents, pack in supplies in our remaining caravans and all the men will be slowed down by their armor and the supplies that we couldn't carry on the caravans. It would take at least a full day's of time to reach the western camp."

The blacksmith's points were valid. Our supply burden would slow us down immensely. There must be _some_ way out of this impossible situation. The men needed hope. I needed hope. What could we do?

I asked what I thought was a stupid question. "Why do we need to carry all the supplies?"

There was stunned silence. I repeated my question more firmly, now having thought through it some more. "Why do we need to carry _any_ supplies?"

"We won't last a day without food. We'd never make it back in safe territory."

"But what if we don't need more food than we can carry?"

Everyone was silent. I continued my train of thought. "Are we marching back to Kaihon territory? We're not! We don't need any food or spare materials. We can just leave it all behind and march towards the west camp without anything but our armor and weapons weighing us down. As soon as we've driven off the defenders of the west camp, we can take over their supplies."

Everyone was still thinking over my proposal. The plan was still crazy no matter how clearly it was formulated. Ambushing a war camp, which contained numbers thrice our size, was in most cases suicidal.

However, by the looks of hope that were beginning to emerge, it had promise. Everyone focused on the idea.

"We shouldn't leave our supplies here for the other army to pick it up." One-Eye remarked. "We'll have to burn anything that can burn and throw the things that won't into the river."

The master blacksmith added, "We shouldn't leave the bridge intact. It needs to be destroyed as soon as possible."

"And how do we do that?" I asked dubiously. Despite the immense challenges that we were facing, I was glad because everyone was working earnestly towards a common goal.

"We'll take care of it." Murou said. "There's bound to be some former stone masons in our ranks. The bridge is thick, but it's typical Han craftwork."

Typical Han craftwork? I could have hardly agreed with that. I swept my palm over my black painted armor. The iron scales were solid, offered good protection and were hardly rusted at all.

"There's only one problem here." A gravelling voice cut in. "The Kai needs to cooperate."

Kaemon was one of the most senior Arrow Catchers. He was one of the few surviving Catchers with graying hair and a short beard. In his prime, he relied on his brute strength. Since his muscles lost their strength dramatically, he preferred to stay behind as a reserve, coordinating any battles by shouting and wheedling inexperienced men into battle. Though not the invincible warrior he once was, he still commanded a huge amount of respect from the current generation of Arrow Catchers.

Like most Catchers, he was only known by a single name. Some did it to hide their identity, as I did. They would also do it to protect their loved ones. Others simply wanted to become a new person. The rest didn't really care, but simply went along because it was too hard to remember so many names when the casualty rates were so high.

Still, I understood the significance of this moment. All of the lesser veterans had their word and were convinced. It was time to seal the plan and guarantee the veterans' complete cooperation.

"I will negotiate with them personally." I stated. "Only Saiji will accompany me."

However, a quick glance revealed I'd forgotten something crucial. "And Kaoru as well."

They all knew that I didn't want to leave her behind for anyone to take her. Still, it was an enormous risk to come alone to the Kai camp.

"That is… brave, my Lord." Souma replied.

Yoroichi exploded into laughter. "Bwahaha! I like the young Lord even more! He'll surely turn our fortunes around."

"What if the Kai refuse? And what if you have been slain?" Kaemon asked curiously.

I thought about it for a moment. My tone was heavy. "There's no going back once we burn our supplies. We should start as soon as possible to show our commitment to victory to the Kai. If for some reason the Kai refuse, then there is no other choice than to surrender and defect to the Han."

Everyone grew worried again and began to talk amongst themselves.

As soon as the chatter died out, I instructed, "I'm not familiar with what anyone can do, so please figure it out among yourselves. We'll need to prepare all the men for a long march and a battle. They should only wear armor if they can march for a prolonged period with the weight. I don't want any delays. Let them carry as much water as they need and enough dried meat to last a day. Burn anything that can be burned, including the wagons. Throw anything you can't in the river, including tools and spare weapons. Start immediately and finish as fast as possible."

The men knew that it was time to go and work on their tasks. They started assigning the jobs to each other, when Kaemon again cut in. "And what do we do with the Han Arrow Catchers?" His lips turned into a small smirk, as if amused I could have made such a blunder as forgetting the prisoners.

"Shit." I simply let out.

"They are a burden to us." Souma commented. "If we bring them with us, they will know our plan and will do anything to delay us." He bore his cream-colored eyes against my own. "That might include a suicide attack."

Shit. Though they only numbered in the forties to sixties, there were still enough to keep us all busy for at least a while. They could snap or cut the ropes that held their arms together and proceed to steal any weapons from their guards and fight their way out. It was going to be a nightmare, which we simply did not need.

The Butcher mentioned the obvious solution. "We could kill them."

It was obvious from his tone that the idea did not thrill him. He relished battles but seemed to abhor slaughters without honor.

"We could set them free." Souma said, mentioning the other obvious solution.

That was another unacceptable choice. Their loyalties would immediately shift to the Han, despite our generous action. They knew our strengths and weaknesses, and could even warn the west camp of our attack before our arrival, with their swiftest runners.

The men didn't say anything but simply stared at me. They were hoping for a third solution and I was their best hope for one. I dreaded the task. I truly believed there was no other choice than to execute all the Han. They were former Arrow Catchers. Some of them guarded my back, shared their supper or gave me some helpful advice. Their broken Kaihonese was a joy to hear to anyone with a light heart.

They were humans and deserved better. "I will speak to the Han and try to offer an alternative."

The emphasis was on the word _try_. By the way they shook their heads or held their eyes down, nobody really believed that I could pull off a miracle. Still, it was expected that I try.

"We don't have enough time. Start the preparations."

I swept my hand down to signify the urgency.

Slowly the men assigned their duties by themselves and started to get to work. The many other Arrow Catchers, who had been listening in to the entire meeting, had already spread the word. Everything seemed to go smoothly.

But the hard work had yet to begin.

* * *

We worked our way through the busy camp towards the prisoners. Saiji guarded my back as well as Kaoru's. Kaemon followed us from a respectable distance. He had slung the empty end of his chain around his shoulders and didn't seem bothered by its weight. But it also meant he couldn't wear armor, unless he wished to risk his frail physique.

The Han all saw me approach and were aware of the significance. Though they might not know all the details of our plan, they must have definitely considered their fate. Every Han drilled their stares into me, knowing that I would be the one deciding their ultimate fate. The responsibility was immense and the consequences were far-reaching. I would be either their savior or their doom. There was no middle way.

Leng Shu stood up and presented a dignified composure of himself to me. He was a Han officer through and through and some suspected he was even a noble. It was remarkable that he even managed to stay alive by becoming an Arrow Catcher. Officers were usually brutally tortured for every scrap of information. They didn't survive. All the Catchers speculated that he either ratted out his own people or was an excellent actor. Whatever he had done, he had thrived among the Arrow Catchers. He represented the Han in many cases and the Han respected him for his wisdom.

His eyes betrayed no emotions. There was neither hope nor fear behind them. His neck partner, Kaun of the Earthspire, was seething in rage though. I had expected that and hoped that Leng Shu would be enough to keep him in check. If not, then I was reasonably reassured when Saiji took the spear from his back and stood poised to intervene if necessary.

"I offer my humble greetings to you, honorable Leng Shu."

I hoped that a respectful introduction would show how much I sympathized with their situation.

He simply smiled in apparent amusement though. His accented but cultured voice replied in a measured pace. "You greet me as a pupil might greet his teacher. Nevertheless, am I not the prisoner? Is it not a cruel jest that the mighty Captain of the Arrow Catchers lowers himself willingly to the unworthy?"

His words had a remarkable clarity behind them. I was indeed a fool. He continued, "If you are lower than the most unworthy of men, where does that leave you then? Are you perhaps an ant? Or a mosquito?"

The smirk on his face became more pronounced. "Do not worry, Ikari. A teacher teaches for the benefit of the pupil, not for his own trivial amusement. Let us all hear what you have to say."

Glad that the pointed insults were over, I explained as short as I could. "I think you've already heard from the others. We're moving out to attack the Han camping not far from our position. You can deduct enough from that."

I shifted my weight on my feet uncomfortably. "You know why I'm here."

His eyes betrayed a deep sense of imminent acceptance. "We are to be executed so that you might live."

I nodded. There was nothing more to say.

"Very well." I confirmed.

The sooner this was over, the better.

"War brother!" Kaun bellowed in pure rage and a hint of desperation. "You can not stain your honor yet again by this cowardly decision! I will rather fight to the death and take some of these Kaihonese scum with me!"

Leng Shu shook his head. "Be at peace, brother. This is how I wish to end my life."

Kaun tensed his muscled tightly. The guards began to become more alert and Saiji anticipated an attack against me. When he finally let out a war cry, I rapidly jumped back and hastened to point my spear forward, so that if Kaun would charge me he would spear himself onto it.

"You cowardly traitor!" Kaun shouted as he tore off the flimsy ropes holding his arms together and threw a mighty punch – at Leng Shu!

Before both of them could do more, the Arrow Catcher guards stepped in and beat Kaun into the ground with the flat end of their spears. Leng Shu picked himself from the ground and spat large amounts of blood from his mouth.

"I apologize for the behavior of my closest friend." He calmly said. His speech was slightly distorted from the nasty bruise that was forming on his right cheek.

"You may slay me immediately." He said, surprising me again.

To prove his words he slowly knelt and bowed his head forward, his forehead touching the sands of the desert plains. His neck was in a perfect position for me to chop with my spear. I unconsciously swung my weapon around until the sharp blade touched the back of his neck.

This was too absurd. How could he treat his life so lightly? Did he not have any desire to survive? It would have been much easier to accept a situation where all of the Han would stage a last desperate battle for survival. I _wished_ that Leng Shu would resist. This calm acceptance to his fate was something that I could not handle at all.

I slowly pushed the blade against his skin. A fine line of red began to emerge from the cut. It would be so easy to lean my entire weight against the shaft, letting the blade part flesh and cartilage in a sickening crunch. I contemplated the image, relishing the satisfying feelings it would produce.

No! I shook my head from those unclean thoughts. I had to do something else, something better. I dropped my spear and knelt in front of Leng Shu. I took his shoulders and pushed his upper body upwards, so that he could face me as an equal. Our faces were close enough to feel each other's breath.

"Is your life mine to will whatever I desire?" I asked tenderly, desperately, eagerly.

With an equally soft voice he replied, "You cannot force a life to go against the very reasons for it to live."

He took in a deep breath but had some trouble taking in all the air. "You can not force us to fight against the free Han, for we exist precisely to free ourselves and our people."

My mind was running through all kinds of solutions. What could I possibly offer against such a basic but impossible wish?

I took my chance with one of the unlikely ideas. "Wh-what if… I could offer you a free land for your people?"

Leng Shu chuckled softly, but almost maniacally. "Then I would renounce you for a fool and a liar." His eyes showed sharp disapproval. "I had thought better of you but you are yet still just a child. Children do not understand the concept of a free nation."

I pushed aside the creeping emotions of anger and instead kept focusing on my thoughts. "No. I mean all what I say. I will grant you your lives, free you from the restraints, and give your people access to all the weapons and armor we have scavenged."

"Your price is unacceptable. We will spill no more blood of Han."

"What if it is not?" I whispered back, in all sincerity. "Is it not possible to fight and kill fellow Han today, for a free Han tomorrow?"

"Your words have no meaning."

"The meaning is there, but it is hidden deeper within them."

There was complete conviction in my words. I leaned closer and whispered in his ear, "I am not of Kaihon and hold no loyalty to it."

I breathed deep and thought carefully on my next words. "I _hate_ Kaihon and what they have done to me, to all of us. This war of conquest is despicable."

I could feel Leng Shu's face tense up. His surprise was evident from the manner he breathed. "If you and your people stay loyal to me and follow _any_ order I give, no matter how wrong it may be at present, then…"

I trailed off, not quite sure how to put my thoughts into words. I carefully continued my whispers. "I will swear to you and your gods that I will do _anything_ in my power to make a free Han possible."

Leng Shu's shaking breath whispered back. "H-h-how will you accomplish such a great and noble feat? It is impossible for a stone to move a mountain."

"Even a single stone can cause a rock slide. I can make no assurances, but I offer a promise that is well worth its value. The fifty-or-so of your men may slay many Han in the future. However, the few of you cannot possibly destroy all of the people of your nation."

My words were having more and more effect. I could feel him breathing faster, indicating that he was starting to become more interested. "The chances are small that I would ever be in a position to decide upon such matters. But does that matter? The chance exists. Who will I be in twenty years? Perhaps I will still be wearing these chains or perhaps I will be the next Lord General. The future is uncertain."

I let lose his shoulders and dropped my hands against the dry dirt. I bent back and stared straight into his eyes. I continued my argument. "But what will always be certain is that I will strive to free myself from these chains. I will do whatever it takes to survive and to prosper. If fortune is on our side, then we _might_ be in a position to decide the fate of Han. And when we do, then I promise I will give you your free homeland. All of it."

His wounded mouth continued to drip blood. The dirt beneath his head stained with red. I carefully put my palm on the spot and grasped my fingers. I dug the hard red soil from the ground and showed it to his eyes. "To save the Han, you must spill their blood." I said softly.

My other hand grasped his own. He did not resist as I put the blood-soaked soil onto his palm. "You will be hated and reviled. You will hate yourselves and wish you had not taken your own life from this world."

I shook my head. My hands closed his fingers into a fist, which encased the moist soil. "But the truth is that you fight not for yourselves, but for your people. You fight for a greater good."

His face was full of emotions. His thoughts were obviously tortured, and I sympathized with him. He had the choice to either leave this world with honor or take a demon's bargain. The ultimate question he would face was whether the ideal of a free Han was worth the deaths on their hands. Leng Shu's arm trembled. Grains of reddish sand slipped between his fingers. Tears began to leak from his eyes as he grew more fragile.

"Serve me and I will turn your dreams into reality, if it is ever possible for me to do so."

My voice was full of confidence, but I knew very well that I had little chance of surviving. If we ever survive the next battle, the Kai would probably turn us all back into prisoners again. The idea that I would one day become the next Lord General was absurd. In fact, I had never even considered aspiring for freedom. I didn't feel bad that I gave Leng Shu so much false hope. We needed his men.

He had made his decision. He lowered his eyes from my own, suddenly unwilling to face me as an equal. His arm motioned me to stand up and I did. What he did next shocked everyone. Still knelt before my eyes, he bowed even deeper into a formal kowtow. He still held the piece of dirt in his hand but crushed it tight. It was evident that it must have taken much for him to lower himself to me like that.

With a loud and solid voice that was sure to reach every single Han Arrow Catcher, he spoke twice, both in Han and Kaihonese, "I, Leng Shu of Xiamen, pledge to become Lord Ikari's vassal for eternity, so long he keeps to his obligation."

Stunned silence weaved among the other Han, puzzled by their leader's proclamation. They didn't hear much of what had been said between us, so they did not know what my obligation was.

Frankly, I was surprised and disturbed by how utterly serious he sounded. I didn't intend our agreement to become so formal and so public.

Leng Shu raised himself once more, taking on a proud and defiant posture against me. It would be the last time he would do so. His next words were chilling. "If for any reason Lord Ikari will not meet his obligation, then I will separate his limbs from his body before chopping off his head. This is also a promise."

More silence followed from the crowd as both the Han and the Kaihonese digested his words.

When he thought they had enough time, the Han officer formally knelt before me and bowed his head against his chin. One of his arms stretched against the ground, his fist supporting his weight. His other fist, still clasped with dirt, held against his chest close to his heart.

He spoke in a more subdued tone this time. He addressed only me now. "My services and my men are at your disposal, although they will need much convincing. It will take time."

I breathed deeply and let out a huge breath. "I know it will be difficult for your men to believe my promise. I can only ask you to do the best you can and give your men some hope."

My eyes gazed out into the night, in the direction of the bridge and the various fires spread throughout the Kai camp. "There are more that I need to speak to."

He nodded his head in understanding. "When I come back, your men must be ready. If they are not…"

He understood my point.

I turned away from his kneeling form, unable to take it any more. My eyes gazed wearily at Saiji, who simply stood impassive. I avoided Kaoru's eyes, knowing she would only become more frightened and faced Kaemon. The graying man's face simply held a smirk, becoming wider when his eyes matched mine.

"Lord Ikari," He spoke, for the first time showing respect to me. "You have a way with men."

I ignored his comment. "Kaemon, I will have to visit the Kai camp next. I will place you in charge of the operation in this camp. In no case will there be any delays. I want the men ready to march out as quickly as possible."

I glanced back swiftly and noted that Leng Shu had already begun his appeal to his people. "Don't waste time with the Han." I told Kaemon. "Give them all the spare armor we have. Make sure they have enough water and food to go around for a day. Once Leng Shu feels confident that his men will cooperate with us, pass them weapons."

"Very well, my Lord. I shall make certain your orders are carried out." His smirk faded a little though. "But I can not work miracles with the Han."

"I understand." I finished, and with that, I set out.

The other Arrow Catchers must have already heard of Leng Shu's pledge, and looked at me with a variety of feelings. My route carried me past many men. Their eyes glimpsed with blooming hope, grudging respect or complete awe. They acknowledged me for my achievement and thanked me for my work. Not everyone was happy that the Han weren't killed but generally everyone knew that the extra men would be incredibly helpful for the coming fight. The uncertainties were high and the margin of error was huge, so fifty extra warriors on our side could mean the difference between victory and defeat.

I took a small torch from the perimeter of our camp and started on the short walk to the Kai. Convincing them would be another difficulty.

"Wait!" Someone yelled at me from behind. When my torchlight revealed the identity of the approaching boy, I was surprised.

Kenji, the former neck partner of Fujiwara, leaned on his knees and breathed hard. He must have sprinted through the entire camp to reach me in time. Running wasn't easy when you had to carry a lengthy and heavy chain with you. He stretched his arm out, offering me something.

It was a sheathed katana.

"I -huh, huh- was told by Kaemon to retrieve it and –huh, huh- give it to you." He gasped and stammered. "He told me to pass on to you that the Kai might appreciate it if they would have it back."

That made a lot of sense. Only the Samurai-class were allowed to wield katanas, and they were almost always officers. The sword – It must have been the same one Ryougaku had used – probably belonged to an officer killed in battle. It was only right that the weapon be returned to his clan.

"Thank you, Kenji-kun."

"No problem, Ikari-kun. Or is it Ikari-dono now?" He joked.

I smiled and grasped the richly decorated scabbard. A jolt of unknown energy ran through arms, and I soon felt an incredible burning sensation. A soft cry of pain shot out from my mouth as I staggered back. My hand quickly released the sheathed weapon, which clattered unceremoniously to the ground. As soon as my skin lost contact with the katana, the pain simply ceased to exist. I stared in wonder at my palm, noticing nothing remarkable.

What had just happened?

Kenji, Saiji, and Kaoru stared wordlessly at me. I shrugged. "Saiji, please carry the katana for me." He nodded and picked it up. He didn't gave any cries of pain and his hand didn't burn. It was strange, but I didn't give it any more thought.

I waved Kenji goodbye, and before I turned back, I noticed the lone figure staring right at me. It was Kaemon and his damnable smirk.

* * *

They didn't attack me at least. The guards had ample time to spot the approaching torch. When we came in shouting distance, they started to challenge us. A short discussion ensued but eventually it wasn't necessary to get violent. A dozen fully alert spearmen boxed me from all four sides. The walk was slow but they didn't want to risk anything. We were allowed to keep our weapons, though many stared openly at Saiji keeping the sheathed sword directly in front of him.

We were taken straight to the wide stone bridge. Caravans and other debris were strategically positioned to form a grid of chokepoints and barriers. At the very center was a large coach, its window open. A wounded man slept uneasily within. Sweat was leaking from his face. It was obvious that he was Lord Oyamada, the commander of this entire expedition. His fever-wracked body meant that he was probably out for a while. I wouldn't have to speak with him. I wasn't sure if that was good or not.

Our little group was led to the large tent pitched next to it. Clan symbols and tiger pelts decorated its surroundings. The interior was even more spectacular, with large comfortable carpets and several refreshments. I could see though that it was not as luxurious as it normally would be. The Kai were still facing a crisis.

Kneeling over a map were three officers. They were all Samurai, I guessed, from the swords they carried on their hips. The first I recognized immediately. Captain Tsuku, loved by many and possessed of an amazing katana. He stared at me with an impassive face, although I was sure he recognized me at once. Unfortunately, I didn't know the others.

I waited for them to address us, as was proper. Captain Tsuku started the introductions. "We welcome you all to our camp. Please, sit down with us, if you please."

We all approached and sat in a kneeling position at a respectful distance. I was facing the three respectfully, while Saiji knelt at my right, still holding the katana as a relic. Kaoru sat not too close behind, trying to hide herself from them.

Tsuku measured us all up. He eventually settled on Saiji. "I am Junichi, heir of clan Tsuku. I am a personal vassal to Lord Oyamada Nobushige. My companions are," He gestured the other two with his hand. "Lord Akamatsu Katsuro and Lord Fukamori Masaru." His mouth curled slightly. "We assume that you are the representative or the leader of the Arrow Catchers. Please, introduce yourself."

His gaze fixed squarely on Saiji. Shit. Before I could say anything, Saiji started to speak himself. "You are mistaken, Captain Tsuku, I do not lead the Arrow Catchers."

I discretely bumped his hip, desperately wanting him to stop talking. It would be bad if he called me 'Lord Ikari' in front of _real_ nobles.

Glad that he took the hint, I started to speak up myself. "My apologies, my Lords. I am Ikari, and I am the one leading the Arrow Catchers."

"Preposterous!" Lord Akamatsu burst out. "There is no possibility that this mere _child_ speaks the truth. There must be a trap at work here." The armored and helmeted captain grasped the hilt of his katana.

"Katsuro," The more soft-spoken and thoughtful Lord Fukamori began. "It is uncommon for children to be in command. Have we both not started our careers in the army at the tender age of seventeen?"

"But that's different." Akamatsu countered. "He's a slave." He spoke the word as if it was dirtier than mud. "These slaves are all the same. They are up to no good."

The two bickered on for a little while. Tsuku merely stared intently at me. I held my head slightly down as a show of respect and submission, but also to avoid his piercing eyes.

Finally, Tsuku lifted up his hand and both of them stopped their arguments. He spoke in a commanding but respectful voice. "Look at him." He stated.

They both did. They peered intently at me, making me feel more uncomfortable. After a minute or so, I heard the small whisper of 'Aha!' from Fukamori. Akamatsu seemed to take a bit longer before he finally gave a 'Feh.'.

The loud captain sounded skeptical. "It doesn't mean anything if the kid has—"

"You can not blind your eyes against what is so plain before them, my friend." Tsuku cut in.

He turned to me once more and said in earnest, "I apologize for the treatment of my colleague. I hope you do not take it as an insult."

I bowed and smiled pleasantly at him. I had been through much worse before. "I accept your apology. You do not have to worry, no offense has been taken."

"I am glad." He finished, before starting a different topic. His smile disappeared. "You are the one who has disrupted my duel." He stated.

There was a sliver of hope inside me that he wouldn't remember my face. Sadly, he did, and he confronted me about it. "I am," I admitted and then took a risk. "I take full responsibility for my actions."

Lord Akamatsu grinned when he heard my words. "Then you don't mind taking your own life. I'm sure it'll—" He managed to slip out before he was again cut off by Tsuku.

"If you can not control your mouth," Tsuku admonished, "then I suggest you leave."

"Hmph." Akamatsu merely turned his head away from him.

I hoped he wouldn't continue to agitate me.

Before Tsuku could get back at me, I spoke, "Please, before you pass your judgment on me, let me offer you a gift."

I gave a signal to Saiji, who promptly leaned over and put the katana he was carrying in front of the captains. They were close enough now to inspect the features of the weapon. "It's Michi's weapon." Fukamori gasped.

"As we have suspected." Tsuku finished, before picking up the weapon.

I focused closely, but he didn't seem to be in pain. So whatever affected me didn't affect Saiji or Tsuku. The senior captain did handle the weapon delicately though. He made a show of inspecting it himself, unsheathing the blade to see if it was clean. It only took a minute before he put it down at his side.

His small smile was back on his face. "I thank you for your generous gift. Those weaker of heart would not part so easily with such a weapon of such power."

I was just glad to be rid of it. I was also glad he didn't ask for the matching wakizashi. I didn't know whether he noticed Kaoru carrying it at her hip. If he did, I hoped he had enough sympathy to let the girl keep the weapon.

Tsuku continued, "Though your action saved my life, know that you have tarnished both our honor. That is a grave crime. Do you understand, young man?"

I nodded. Before he could continue, I quickly said, "If you would permit me to speak, Lord Tsuku. I am aware of the severity of my action and I regret what I have done. But I would like to let you know that I have begun on the path to atonement. That weapon," I gestured to the katana that I had passed to them. "Was taken in a duel against the one who carried and used it without respect. I defeated two opponents to win the duel." I hoped that they would understand.

Tsuku took a moment to think on my words, and nodded politely. "We have reports on the duel that has occurred within your ranks. I do not think it is likely that you would go to such an extent just to retrieve a weapon." He shook his head. "You were involved in a leadership struggle. That you survived and gained the support of your fellow Catchers speaks volumes of you. However, I can not in good faith accept your apology."

"My Lord," I began sincerely, but Tsuku held up his hand, silencing me.

"You may make further atonements later. We know that the situation is dire. I assume you are fully aware of the dangers we face."

I nodded. Seeing that I did; he asked me, "And can I also assume that the Arrow Catchers follow you completely?"

"Hai."

"Good. We have formulated a plan of attack against the Han army that had ambushed us. If you would come closer to study our map, I can explain our strategy."

We came closer and sat right against the large square scroll, which abstractly depicted the surroundings. The many decorations made it seem more like a drawing than a real map. However, the map was the last thing on my mind.

"Lord Tsuku, I have a question. Why have you not demanded we surrender to your forces?"

We were still Arrow Catchers after all and they outnumbered us three-to-one.

Tsuku simply looked at me as if I was a little child. "We are not as blind to ignore the change in the balance of power. Even Katsuro is not so big of a fool."

Lord Akamatsu bristled at the implied insult and muttered something under his breath. "We are aware that you have had the choice to choose the side of the Han. That you have not is a sign that you are loyal, however little, to Kaihon."

I nodded. "We would rather fight for Kaihon and the province of Kai. We determined that with the duel."

All three raised their eyebrows in surprise, but quickly recovered.

"That is good. I was right, Junichi." Fukamori commented and smiled serenely.

Tsuku looked at me for a moment before saying, "We would appreciate it if you give your full consent to our plan of action. If you would let me outline our plan, I am sure—"

I shook my head, and Tsuku got the hint. "Very well, let us hear your own proposal then."

It was a bit surprising that he would bend so easily to me. I had honestly thought the leadership would be more like… Lord Akamatsu, blind and arrogant. But I also suspected that Tsuku would not normally be so accommodating. There must have been some other reason why he gave up so easily and why he was so willing to defer to me.

Still, I kept those thoughts to myself. "I give my thanks to you, Lord Tsuku. But let me warn you in advance that we have already started to implement our plan. It is irreversible because there is no turning back."

I explained the plan to them in short detail. They were unaware of the camp west beyond the river and Lord Akamatsu didn't trust me at all. However, with the support of the two other captains, I continued my explanation. I told them that we originally decided between surrendering and fortifying our position, but when I headed the meeting, we shifted to a daring surprise attack on the much larger west camp. Speed and surprise was essential. So was the participation of both the Arrow Catchers and the Kai. When I finally told them that we started burning supplies and throwing the rest into the river, Lord Akamatsu finally couldn't stand it.

"You scoundrel!" He exploded. "This is blackmail! How dare you destroy days or weeks worth of supplies! You have condemned us all to starvation!"

His face went red as he made a sudden lunge at me. He grasped my armored shoulders and his momentum pushed us both back against the ground. He grasped my neck and squeezed tight. I was flailing against him but eventually Saiji managed to get him off me. Guards poured in and Tsuku ordered them to take Akamatsu away and in restraints. He didn't go peacefully. "I wished Michi and Yoichi were alive instead of you two, you traitors! Lord Commander Oyamada would have never agreed to this!"

An uncomfortable silence followed. Tsuku and Fukamori looked at each other and nodded. "We have no choice, do we?" Fukamori remarked, resigned.

"Indeed." Tsuku confirmed before he addressed me formally. "By the authority bestowed upon Lord Commander Oyamada by Lord General Nobukata, whose incapacitation leads me to wield his authority; I accept the proposal presented by Ikari of the Arrow Catchers."

We all bowed ceremonially. He then continued in a more relaxed tone, "We will make sure our troops are mobilized, our supplies duly taken care of and your men have access to the bridge so that they may attempt to destroy it."

He grimaced at the idea of throwing away all those valuable supplies. "Your plan is risky indeed and there is no middle way between victory and death. It is a demonic ploy but a successful one." He finished.

I was immensely relieved that they had ultimately agreed to cooperate. I started to think on the implications, when Fukamori proposed some of his own. "May I add my own thoughts to your ideas, Ikari?" I nodded politely. "It would be better if instead of attacking the enemy camp immediately, we use a ploy."

The articulate but soft-spoken captain explained his idea. "The Arrow Catchers would arrive openly but instead of attacking, they would pretend to offer their services to them. Your forces would infiltrate the camp and take up strategic positions. In the meanwhile, our own forces would move in the shadows to the back of their camp and storm them when the time is right. We would have to depart separately to deceive the scouts, who are no doubt observing us at this very moment. We must also somehow get your forces to the west side of the river without looking like we allowed you to cross."

It was a good idea. I added, "You could pretend to march to the east, either to suggest you are heading back to your own territory or to attack the east camp. My own force would then quickly cross the bridge and march to the west. Seeing us run away to the east, you somehow decide to turn back and pursue us. And for good measure, you destroy the bridge when you head westward."

Tsuku didn't really think it was a good idea by the frown on his face. "No scout would fall for such an obvious illusion. However, I can think of nothing else that would serve as a better one. I approve of this plan and we will make sure that our forces understand their instructions. Ikari, make sure your own forces understand as well."

I nodded and then asked, "Then with your permission my Lord, I would like to get back at my men to prepare the march."

"Certainly."

With that, we parted. Before I was back outside, a hand grasped my armored arm, stopping me in my tracks. I turned around to see Lord Tsuku stare as so many others have stared at me. There was definitely _something_ about me that mesmerized all these adults but I honestly couldn't see why.

He leaned closer and whispered, "Ikari. Why do you do this?"

"Umm… Because I want to stay alive?" I meekly answered.

He shook his head and asked again, more seriously this time. "You seek to gain something after we have fought the coming battle and survive. Certainly you do not merely wish to go back being an ordinary slave sent to catch arrows."

I had hardly thought about my future. I was constantly working on the problems facing me immediately, leaving all the other issues further ahead unattended. "I… don't know." I answered honestly.

Tsuku however looked at me in a shrewd way, as if I was being dishonest or didn't want to admit I had any ambitions. "Very well, if you insist, I will pretend that you are nothing more than a clueless boy."

He leaned closer again to my ear and whispered even softer. "But I will use your debt to my honor to wring out the truth. Lord General Nobukata would certainly be interested in you."

The trustworthy-looking captain then leaned back and bowed while offering a polite smile. I had no other option than to match his actions before turning away and walking back as fast as possible.

* * *

Both camps were well on their way of dismantlement. The Arrow Catchers had begun earlier but the Kai were more numerous. As soon as I was back, I informed the closest veterans around of the change in plans. I could rely on the men to spread the word with rapid efficiency. After that was done, I went straight over to the Han.

Everyone of them, except for Leng Shu, were kneeling and listening to the words of their leader in their own tongue. I couldn't understand any of the remarkable Chinese-like words, but it wasn't that difficult to deduce that he was still in the process of explaining to them the deal he made with me. By the looks on their faces, they were having a hard time accepting whatever Leng Shu said.

If they weren't completely convinced by the time the camps were dismantled, then it would have been too late. The thought troubled me. At least they already wore some armor. There wasn't enough Han armor left, so some of them wore the Kaihonese wooden armor.

I approached Leng Shu, who bowed respectfully. "How is your progress?" I inquired.

He made a troubled face, but replied neutrally, "It is... difficult, but the men know of the urgency of our situation. It will not be much longer before they will cooperate."

Time slowly passed. With no clocks or watches in this world, it was hard to measure the passage of time precisely. It was some time after sundown, perhaps an hour or two. We needed to reach the Han camp before sunrise, and while our infiltration may still work, most of the enemy's troops would be wide-awake and alert by then. In addition, there would be no possibility that Tsuku's men could come close without detection. It all depended on speed.

I thought about the nature of our opponents. There were two separate Han forces. The ones currently camped to the east were the remnants of the ones that had ambushed us. They were obviously well prepared and knew exactly that we would take that very route. Their victory would have been complete were it not that we had mounted an effective defense against their cavalry.

Still, that left the west camp. Were they connected? Did they follow a single commander? There was so much information missing. When I heard that there was a larger force camped to the west, I wondered why they were there. If they knew about our force, why didn't they participate in the ambush together with the east camp? And if they were not aware of us, why were they outside the walls of their formidable city in the first place? Every map I had seen was vague a sketch with far too little detail. The west camp did occupy a position near some roads with a defensive advantage from the south and west, but there were no advantages if the enemy attacked from the north or east. That meant that they were probably defending the way to the Iron City from _another_ army to the south.

But if they were still unaware of us, then it would surely not be true now. Any good army scouted at least a day's distance from all sides. Since we were well within that area, they must have been alerted to our presence some time ago. Would they have decided to march out this very night and attack us at dawn? Or would they have retreated back to their walled fortress?

It was useless to speculate on such matters. There were countless of choices the enemy commander could choose from, but it would always take some time to get his much larger army moving. They would definitely be much more unwieldy since they had to carry a much larger amount of supplies.

The critical moment approached. Not too long after the last iron equipment was regretfully dumped into the river, Kenji appeared and informed me that Leng Shu had finished convincing his men. When I arrived, they were standing at attention. Each of their faces betrayed no emotion. In front of them, a small makeshift shrine had been made. It was a crude representation of some Han gods. Offerings were placed before it and the smell of burning incense wafted from the bowl placed on top of it.

The charismatic Han turned around and knelt as well. He lowered his head, punched his fist against his palm, which enveloped the fist. I was still unused to this treatment from others. Everyone was so formal, so traditional and I honestly felt that I didn't really deserve to be treated this way.

"Lord Ikari, my men – your men are ready."

I took my time to inspect the men, as difficult as it was with the weak light. None of them held any torches. Probably from fear that they might use it as weapons. However, I could not spot too many angry or bitter faces, Kaun being the obvious exception. There was little holding me back, so I ordered the guards to give them their weapons. They did so with great reluctance and were poised to defend against any surprise. Their tensions barely eased when they were finished and the Han still didn't attack.

This didn't mean that I trusted them completely, no matter how much Leng Shu assured me. I went back and forth to arrange the order of the marching column. There were few wagons left. They only carried some water and the wounded. It was heavy, but there were plenty of pack horses left that they could be rotated to insure they would keep up with the march.

Finally, our forces began to move. As planned, Tsuku's men started to leave the remains of their camp behind and marched eastward. The multitude of torches lit up much of the darkness. To any scout observing from far away, it would seem that a large ball of light slithered into a thin noodle strand, slowly moving away from the bridge.

As soon as they were far enough away, so that they couldn't get back before my own force crossed the bridge, we began to move as well. Since we were fewer in number, it didn't take as much trouble to get marching. We crossed the bridge with considerable speed. Some of the craftsmen discretely dropped pickaxes and other heavy tools needed to collapse the stone bridge. Personally, I didn't really think that the Kai would accomplish such a feat in such short time. Tsuku could leave a small number of men, ten or so, behind to work on it all night, but they would risk being cut off.

The destruction of that bridge was very essential though. The river was deep enough that horses and armored men couldn't cross. If we left the bridge in tact, then at the very least a contingent of cavalry would arrive in time to foil our ambush. At the worst, the entire east camp would arrive too fast for us to properly dig in, if we succeeded in the ambush that is.

The march was lengthy and tedious. Only a tiny sliver of the half-cut moon shone its light, barely enough to avoid anything that could trip you in the dark. Most of the warriors held makeshift torches but they were burning up quite fast. I had contemplated ordering the men to use fewer torches, but Itou was confident that we'd reach the west camp before we were all out of things to burn. He'd better be right.

Though I wasn't particularly tired, since I was unconscious for most of the afternoon, Saiji, Kaoru and I were sitting and resting in one of the caravans holding the wounded. We were here mostly because of the insistence of Kaemon and other senior men, who thought that I should be fully rested before we arrived. However, I only agreed to this because Saiji and Kaoru had been up all day. The constantly alert girl slept peacefully this night, at least, although at the opposite end of the wagon.

Most of the wounded were asleep, although one who had an amputated leg moaned in constant pain, as the wagon bumped and vibrated for the entire trip. The wheels were simply made of wood and had none of the comforts modern wheels provided. I had been worried that there wouldn't be any good ways to carry the wounded with us. I would hate to betray Rot Tooth, who was probably resting in a different wagon right now. He had been helpful organizing the wounded into the wagons and come up with a system of rotating the horses. If we'd ever make it out alive, then I would definitely reward him in some way.

But when I looked at Kaoru and thought of his words, I crossed out that idea.

* * *

_**Master of Corruption**_

_The Master's __Junction – Pt 2_

_By RahXephon and Sesshy's Girl 00_

* * *

We arrived at an area which was much more elevated but also much more uneven. Large cliffs and hillsides adorned the mountainous region. The horses had exhausted themselves completely by trying to climb the hills. Going back downhill was even harder, since men were needed to keep the wagons from getting out of control. But the effort had all been worth it. By the time we reached our destination, we still had a few hours of darkness left. Most of the men were convinced we were only three-quarters into the night, though I didn't trust their judgment completely. The expansive camp ahead was obviously guarding the roads below to the valleys in the south and west. Any army approaching from those directions would have a hard time climbing up the steep pass, which ended right in front of the camp. Their defenses were certainly prepared against any such attack. There were large rocks and boulders strategically positioned along both sides of the pass, ready to be thrown down against any foolish enough to make a charge.

The north and east were not as well fortified, but it was almost impossible to attack the camp from those sides unless you made a huge detour. Those routes in turn were defended by other Han fortifications, Leng Shu informed me. He told me that it was part of their overall strategy since the fall of their capital city tens of years ago. If the Kaihonese couldn't be defeated, then the Han would make sure that every single victory they earned would be paid with as much Kaihonese blood as possible. They would force the Kaihonese to fight in bloody battles of attrition, where every enemy kill would be matched with a death of their own in turn.

They hoped that the Kaihonese would eventually sustain so many losses, that it would no longer be popular to continue the conquest. The Han also hoped that the superior numbers of the Han would eventually show its true brilliance in the later stages and make a renewed assault on the depleted ranks of the Kaihonese.

However, many years had passed and the great enemy from across the ocean had not been exhausted. The Kaihonese conserved their men with cruel but effective methods. The most effective way was using prisoners to lead an assault and take the brunt of the enemy counter-attack. These captured Han prisoners were originally used to storm themselves against enormous walled cities, which were common in Han, and race up the ladders to clear the top of the walls. If the prisoners persisted in their assault, the defenders had no choice but to fire upon their former brethren with their arrows. If they instead rebelled against the Kaihonese or simply ran away, the precise volleys fired from Kaihonese archers would pelt them to shreds.

This fateful inevitability caused them to be known as Arrow Catchers.

Now, I hoped, the situation would be different. Saiji, Kaoru, Leng Shu, Kaun and I were slowly approaching the sleeping but guarded camp. I left the other Catchers behind, trusting them to wait before I gave the signal. The last thing I wanted to happen was the Han camp to panic at the sight of the enormous mass of torches rapidly heading their way. I didn't want to risk provoking them into showering us with their rumored iron arrows.

I could see and hear the camp becoming more alert at our approach. Their guards were patrolling the east barriers, but in general, there was not yet a sense of alarm. Good. Let the most of them sleep.

Soon enough, a small detachment on horseback left the camp. They rapidly closed in, kicking up large amount of dust that reflected the torches they carried. The horsemen stopped within hearing distance but cautiously eyed us all for any ranged weapons.

The lead horseman, an old but fit Han commander, bellowed first in Han and then in Kaihonese. "In the name of the Emperor of Han, I command you to make yourselves known!"

As planned, I stepped back and let Leng Shu do all the talking. He yelled back some words in his own language. There was a short pause before the Han commander spoke in excited tones. There was a short discussion before the horsemen approached. I could see the commander more clearly now. He was encased in largely the same kind of armor we wore and the other Han we've fought wore. The only difference was that while ours had red linings, theirs had brown ones.

The commander was obviously a warrior. His cheeks bore a nasty scar that left ugly marks. His spear was simple but richly decorated, while his hip carried a longsword in a scabbard etched with mighty runes. His posture and facial expression all told that he had fought and killed his entire life. He was definitely a warrior of high regard.

The rest of the horsemen were seemingly his escorts. They were nondescriptly uniform from each other, indistinguishable except that they all shared a mood of competence and alertness.

"Leng Shu!" The old man said loudly in a tone indicating kinship and spoke in a softer but still excited voice.

Leng Shu seemed to match his enthusiasm. "Shao Fai!" He returned and spoke again in his native language.

It was disconcerting that they were talking amongst themselves in a language I couldn't follow. It was the only choice though. If Leng Shu spoke in Kaihonese, then their commander would surely suspect coercion. By attempting to portray Leng Shu as the leader of the defectors, he would gain more acceptance and less suspicion.

But it all depended on Leng Shu staying on my side and pretending to be friendly with the ones we would be about to ambush. It also depended on Kaun being able to shut his mouth and the other Catchers behaving in an unsuspicious manner. Although I had confidence in Leng Shu's remarkable performance – the Han commander was laughing hard at one of his jokes, no doubt – I wasn't about to risk his subordinates making a scene or revealing the treachery out of last-minute loyalty. All of the Han were paired up with or shadowed by their Kaihonese counterparts. They were watched closely at all times. It was not a good sign of faith but it signaled the Han Catchers that it wasn't worth it to double cross us.

Leng Shu eventually turned around and made the signal, a simple waving motion with his torch. We all joined with him. Soon enough the other Arrow Catchers behind the hillside revealed themselves and marched towards the Han camp in a smooth progression.

The Han commander asked a curious question to Leng Shu, who finally spoke in Kaihonese. "May I introduce to you my uncle, General Shao Fai of Yangan, the Iron City."

Leng Shu emphasized the word uncle, subtly expressing his torn feelings. He then waved to one of the other horsemen behind the general and said, "His son and my cousin, Commander Shao Zhi is also present."

Shao Zhi made a noncommittal grunt, while his father dismounted and approached us with a huge smile. He spoke with a strong accent. "You friends of my brother's son, no? Your names I wish knowing, please."

Saiji simply bowed graciously, and said, "Saiji."

Typical. Kaoru did somewhat the same, while I simply stammered out "Ikari."

Still the jovial man wasn't deterred, and he embraced Saiji in a brotherly hug. "Thank all, thank all, thank all." He kept saying.

He ruffled my hair and gazed at me, as if I was a little boy, before turning back to mount his horse.

"Come, welcome. Eat water and chicken and warm campfire, yes? Of course hungry and cold! Hahahaha!"

As the General and his escort retreated to the camp, Leng Shu cautiously beckoned me to come closer.

He took my shoulder and whispered in an almost anguished tone. "These are my family. I cannot betray them so casually with a smile."

I could feel him shake as he was wracked by torn emotions. He eventually tightened his grip on my shoulder pad. "If freedom is worth the price of my own family's blood, then so be it. I have spilled so many other families' blood that I should suffer from the losses as well."

With that, he pushed me away and went ahead. The rest of us struggled to catch up with them. Kaun seemed especially eager to reach there first.

Our little group followed the general to the raised platform in front of his spacious war tent. He beckoned us all to sit on the comfortable cushions arrayed around a low table. A large plate of various fresh fruits rested on it, and with the blessing of his hospitality, we each took one. Saiji took a large mango, while Kaoru hesitantly took a slice of melon. She was wide-eyed from the ample display of exotic colors and seemed a little intoxicated by the sweet smells. She took a tiny bite of green melon and her face exploded with joy.

"Ah, yes, little girl, is yum yum, yes? We treat everyone better than the great enemy."

The general kept talking in Kaihonese out of politeness. He engaged in small talk with all of us, asking about our ages, where we came from, our favorite color and more trivial facts. Shao Fai deliberately avoided the more sensitive or serious topics. He probably thought he would get that information from Leng Shu later in private.

He seemed especially charmed by Kaoru, who was incredibly shy of all the attention she was getting. She was constantly blushing and looking away. The general wasn't completely oblivious though and sometimes gazed with sadness at the thin woman. He picked up a banana and peeled it before he gave it to her. "Grow strong and healthy, young lady."

The only one who posed a significant threat was Kaun. It was obvious that he was affected more than anyone else by the impending betrayal. Shao seemed to think that he was simply astounded that he made it alive and gave up trying to cheer him up after a while. Still, his eyes burned deep whenever they met mine.

A sudden outburst of wild and uncontrollable anger was the last thing we needed. As the night progressed, I was more and more worried about Kaun. Leng Shu did his best to deflect attention from his neck partner. He was an extremely skilled conversationalist and had no trouble handling Shao's atrocious Kaihonese.

All the while, time was passing. My men were slowly being integrated with the camp. Leng Shu's word evidently counted for much, as the guards lazily led them in without disarming them first. The Arrow Catchers did their very best to act as if they were relieved to reach the Han camp at last. They were ordered to betray nothing that would signal the Han to suspect anything was amiss. They would even part with their weapons if the Han guards asked them to. Luckily, they were complacent enough to let them be.

Shao had told me sometime in the night that the Han occasionally received escaped Arrow Catchers. They were no longer a foreign sight and they no longer looked suspiciously at Kaihonese criminals. The majority of them behaved perfectly and were eventually integrated within Han society, as threatened as it was. There had never been a case when Arrow Catchers had deliberately deceived the welcoming Han, which sounded very odd to me. Surely, someone else must have tried a similar tactic?

I was looking constantly to the east and the north. So much time had passed and I was afraid dawn was imminent. Any emergence of light would be the signal of attack. Tsuku's forces would carefully position along the northern flank as soon as they arrived. When the time was right, they would climb up the low hill with a furious charge. As soon as my men knew that an attack was imminent, they would quickly take a white piece of cloth and tie it on their heads to denote their side. As soon as they drew their weapons, they would all take out targets of opportunity.

The goal was to shock the Han into paralysis through two powerful bursts, first with the betrayal in their midst, and second from the huge swarm of Kaihonese infantry. It was important to avoid the mistake made by the attackers of the ambush by the river. We had to tie up their officers to avoid giving the Han enough room to form themselves into groups or formations. Chaos needed to be maintained and therefore it was imperative that the Kaihonese arrive on time.

If they somehow didn't arrive, then the alternate plan was to stay alive at any cost. If that meant that we had to choose our loyalties, then this time we would cast our fates with the Han. That would definitely be fatal for Tsuku's men, or so I hoped. The threat of informing our hosts of the Kaihonese presence would hopefully be enough of an incentive for Captain Tsuku to stick to his part of the plan.

Still, time passed almost invisibly as the sky remained unchangingly dark. I glanced at my wrist several times already, only to meet with an armguard instead of a watch. I became impatient and anxious. All of my muscled tensed, despite the serenity of our environment. The raised platform was elegantly crafted with the finest woods. Banners displaying proud slogans fluttered in the wind. I even took the time to study the cushion I sat upon. It displayed the Han version of heaven. Rolling clouds drifted alongside mountains. Stylized dragons and emperors danced to the music of a group of animals. The tiger played some kind of flute, while the rat played some string instrument.

To distract myself further, I looked around to see what my men were doing. I could recognize Murou and Itou talking anxiously to a group of fellow craftsmen near the place where iron was constantly being hammered into equipment, even throughout the night. One-Eye was walking among the wounded, who were graciously being tended to by tired and sleepy-looking physicians, acupuncturists and the like. Kaemon was having an eager debate in Han with Shao Zhi near the officer area. Everyone was in place, doing their best to stay within striking distance of their targets. The Han didn't have a single clue.

Shao Zhi, who had just arrived with Kaemon, attracted my attention with a very direct question. "You feel the stain of dishonor in your heart by your betrayal, do you not?"

My heart seemed to stop when I heard the word betrayal. Could he know?!

My fears were soothed when I realized he meant differently. "Do not worry, young boy, I mean no disrespect."

He smiled, even though his face betrayed sadness. "A long time ago, when I was but an infant, I lived a different life, a privileged life. Our lands were as vast as the sea and our wealth was more than you could imagine. Our entire palace was filled with so much gold, that even the lowliest servants ate with gold plates."

The young warrior shook his head. "How naïve we had been. The Imperial Family grew weaker. The Emperor was feeble, as if a great curse had engulfed his soul. The lands grew colder, the sun went darker and the people began to suffer. It was a year of disaster. Crops started to fail at a scale simply unprecedented. Some of the rivers flooded the rice patches, while others simply went dry. The Great Rivers themselves seemed to alternate between massive floods and large drops in water level."

He lowered his head. "The Emperor had lost his Heavenly Mandate."

He then raised his head and I could see fury burn in his eyes. "But that is no justification for Kaihon to invade our lands. We lost our palaces, our fertile lands, our bountiful trade,"

Then spoke the next words with great sadness. "And our people."

"We had thought our martial prowess and our massive armies would overwhelm their apparently suicidal invasion. But they kept coming, and they kept outmaneuvering our slow and unwieldy armies."

Shao squeezed his fists. "Their vicious fighting spirit was only matched by the lengths of their cruelty. Whole cities were purged. The women were raped repeatedly before they met their end. If they were pretty enough then they were captured to be used as comfort women. All the others, the men, the children and the old, were slaughtered like animals."

"They eventually stopped murdering our cities." His father slipped in.

"There were still people needed to farm the lands and mine the precious ores."

The older man frowned deeply. "But our hearts will not rest before every single Han is freed from the oppression of the Kaihonese."

The younger Shao nodded at that and faced me with a powerful stare. "You have chosen the side of the righteous, even if your situation was desperate. I only hope that you have the honor to persevere."

He then turned around and left the platform.

* * *

Finally, the first specks of dawn began to emerge.

As General Shao explained in detail about the difficulty of removing our neck chains, I kept a close eye to the north. Blood pumped louder in my veins as my tension reached a peak. The rays began to grow and the darkness began to part for the light. The beginnings of an orange glow slowly began to emerge.

It wasn't long before the tip of the sun began to emerge from the horizon, and by then it would be almost too late to stage a night assault. I clenched my teeth. How long was Tsuku going to take?!

At last, a low thrumming could be heard. As everyone awake tried to peer into the darkness to the north and northeast, the thrumming slowly turned into a thunder. It started low and soft at first, but it quickly turned into an obvious stampede of loud footsteps. While the distracted Han strained to hear the noise, the others quietly tied the white bandanas over their head. The guards closest to the perimeter already began to shout alarms, but by then it was too late.

The first to strike was Rot Tooth, who despite his injured leg, managed to jump up and stab a Han doctor in the neck with a spear tip.

Chaos ensued.

The Arrow Catchers whipped out their weapons much faster than the sleepy and unaware Han. Murou and Itou were almost finished slaughtering the group of craftsmen. The gentle-looking Souma and the hard-faced One-Eye were leading and coordinating a band of Catchers in entering tents and killing the Han where they slept.

I gazed quickly at the utterly shocked General Shao, who dropped a half-eaten lychee fruit. Saiji took advantage of the window of opportunity and drew the spear from his back with enviable speed. With remarkable fluency, he jumped across the table and attempted an overhead chop. Shao, with decades of experience, shrugged off his surprise at the last moment and made an ungraceful but effective dodge. The red pillow he previously sat upon was cleaved in half by Saiji's moon blade. He didn't skip a beat as he fluidly turned to his left. He made a savage slash that was parried by Shao's hastily drawn blade.

"B-Betrayal!" He muttered, still in surprise, but with enough wits to defend himself against Saiji's pressing attacks.

I had already drew my own spear by now and raced to join Saiji's pressing assault. But before I could reach him to coordinate our attacks, Saiji was surprisingly knocked back by a savage spinning kick from Shao. He landed against the harsh dirt with a mighty clatter from his armor. I diverted my course and deflected Shao's sword from cutting off Saiji's leg.

The blow was numbing and I barely held my spear firm enough to keep it from hitting Saiji. Shao already descended on me like an enraged demon, and I was forced to step back, as he attempted to close in on me. I was keenly aware that the neck chain was running out but before it grew tight, Saiji had already recovered and made a deep lunge at Shao's back. His spear blade touched the metal plates of his armor, but the general's forward motion was too fast for Saiji to make any penetration.

He kept swinging his thick, one-handed blade at me, giving me no opportunity to attack or even mount an effective defense. Desperate and tired, I dug my sandals in the dirt and kicked upward, throwing up a spray of dirt. The dirty trick surprised him and he evidently caught some in his face. His attacks slackened and I immediately used the opportunity to counter-attack. I absorbed his feeble slash with the shaft of my spear and leveraged my weapon in a downward cut. Unfortunately, it lacked strength and Shao slapped the spear aside with his forearm. Before I could recover, he made a brutal chop. I narrowly tripped backwards and swung my head out of the way. Unfortunately, the blade caught the top of my armor and as the blade travelled downwards, it ripped the leather fabric holding the scales together. By the time I landed on the ground, a large gap formed in the middle of my armor.

Shao didn't press his advantage to finish me off, instead he turned around deflected Saiji's stab. They attacked with speed and strength. Every parry clanked loudly into the night as both held their own. Shao slowly showed his teeth as his lips curled upwards. "You dirty invaders fight without feeling!"

He remarked and with surprising agility caught Saiji's next stab. He pushed the shaft forwards, pulling Saiji towards him. Shao held his sword forwards, ready to impale his opponent, but Saiji kicked himself back by letting his weapon go. Shao turned the captured weapon around and quickly threw the spear right back at Saiji. It was only luck and incredible skill that Saiji didn't catch it in his stomach, but his upper left arm was savagely cut. A large amount of blood spilled from the wound, but Saiji wasn't out of the fight yet.

Before I could go and help, another figure blocked my way. It was Kaun of the Earthspire. I quickly shifted my gaze to see that Shao Zhi was pressing Leng Shu. Wasn't he fighting Kaemon?! I looked around but couldn't see him anywhere.

Despite the pitched battle and the rattling chains, Kaun was unfazed by the battle taking place just outside the platform. His eyes burned with grim determination. He held out a guandao, similar to the one Saiji was using right now to fight off the older Shao.

"You." He started, stepping closer. "You are the one that has poisoned Leng Shu's mind and filled him with endless lies. I do not know how you have managed to convince him that killing Han would be good for our people, but I intend to make him see reason."

Wordlessly, he flourished his spear in a magnificent display of skill. The multitude of spins and rotations was as equally impressive as the speed in which he moved his arms. The message was clear. Kaun wouldn't put up an easy fight.

"Before I pledged my service to Leng Shu, I had trained my body to the ultimate martial perfection. Ikari, you will learn why I am of the Earthspire."

As he finished speaking, he charged straight at me. His entire body was in motion and by the time he reached within striking distance, I could barely dodge his savage blow. He didn't stop there though and pivoted himself to swing his weapon wide. The spear shaft impacted my armguard with a force so staggering, that I had trouble keeping my balance.

Kaun wielded his weapon like a staff and held it with both hands. Staying well within close quarters, he made rapid swipes against my entire body. He hit my lower jaw at first, then behind my ankle, and then pushed his shaft against my neck. I jumped back quickly, holding my neck as the force almost crushed it.

The Han simply flourished his weapon yet again with contemptuous ease. "You are nothing compared to me. I have tested myself against the elements, travelling night and day across the Great Unending Desert near the ends of the world."

And again he charged at me. I could barely keep up with his strikes. He fought with furious ferocity, scoring frequent glancing blows with the sides of his spear. I kept getting jarred by all the minor blows, the pain adding to my constant agony.

His fighting style was unlike any I had encountered before. Spears were traditional long-ranged weapons. I had never once considered the effectiveness of using it as a staff. The pace was intense, and as I was experiencing myself, effective. As long as you had the speed and stamina, you could keep your opponent overwhelmed and tire down his strength. At this rate, I would be so worn down that I couldn't avoid a fatal blow. I knew I had to do something.

When Kaun stopped his routine, I could sense his next move. I barely managed to dodge the almost fatal stab at my face but he quickly swung his weapon down and swept my feet from the floor. As I fell backwards, he already swung his weapon above his head and was about to bring the moon blade down in a heavy chop.

Time slowed as I hastened to grasp the head of my spear and catch Kaun's downward chop in the valley of my L-shaped spear blade. The impact caused blinding sparks. I couldn't see anything as my back thumped against the wooden platform. I felt the pressure disappear from my spear and knew that another attack was coming. Blindly I rolled to the left as another heavy chop split the wood and dug itself deep.

Somehow, I managed to roll and use the butt-end of my spear to propel me back onto my feet. I used the rotational momentum to swing my spear at Kaun, who barely managed to parry the blow with his moon blade. The resulting counterforce made us both stagger back. I breathed deeply, while the Han merely composed himself.

"Your skill is remarkable." He conceded. "But your arms lack strength and your body lacks stamina. It will be soon before I have the pleasure of removing your head from your worthless body."

His grin grew savage then. "You are no match to one who has climbed the mighty Earthspire in the middle of the Great Desert and reached its very top! I have touched the very surface of the heavens and brought back its power!"

His final words made him glow in an otherworldly fashion. His moon blade seemed to reflect more and more light, until it was almost blindingly white. Kaun's next moves were a blur. He jumped forward and spun in midair. His spear came at me with dizzying speed, the blade seeming to trail fire. The massive strength and speed behind his swing was frightening and I could barely jump back in time before the spear kept travelling down. When it hit the wooden planks, they didn't simply split, they exploded from the massive kinetic force of the impact.

Splintered pieces of ebony wood sprayed the area. Kaun was unaffected by them as he slowly raised his spear from the large hole he created. His grin grew more savage and slime dripped from his lips. This time he lunged at me with lightning speed. The white blade came at me so fast that I could do nothing to stop it. The tip hit the chain to my neck and pushed it against my chest. I screamed as the tip dug into flesh, but the chain prevented it from digging in further. Kaun however didn't stop there but kept lunging forward, dragging me with him. He pushed me back and back for many steps, until I finally crashed against a beam.

"It does not matter where you run, filthy Kaihonese. All men are rooted to the Earth. There is no escape!"

Kaun still moved forward. He let his spear go and came at me with his fists. I was still stuck against the wooden beam behind me, so I couldn't dodge his fist. He pounded my stomach and I instantly barfed up its contents. He was unaffected as my digestive fluids poured over his face. He readied his fist again and hit my jaw with a resounding force that seemed to crack the bone.

Before he could use his powerful arm muscles to hit me again, I let my legs go and promptly fell down on my butt. His fist hit and cracked the wooden beam, but he was barely affected. Still disoriented but pumped up with adrenalin, I grabbed my neck chain and rolled to the side. I caught his leg and I rolled again to entangle it. With a mighty heave, I pulled his leg from under him, making him fall flat on his face. I grabbed the nearest spear – my own – and swung it against his neck, intending to decapitate him. My swing lacked strength and although it cut his skin, it didn't dig deep into his neck muscles. But it was powerful enough to elicit his first gasps of pain.

Knowing that speed was essential, I quickly stomped my foot against his shoulder, trying to hold him against the floor. I grabbed the spear with both of my hands and hooked the sickle blade beneath his neck. As I pulled upwards, he barely managed to stop me in time by elbowing my leg and throwing me off his back. My spear skewed and instead of tearing his neck, I tore at his shoulders. I was falling, but I held my spear tight and managed to tear deep against the bone of his left shoulder. His cries of pain grew shrill and harsh now.

"I'll kill you for this!"

Instead of weakening him however, he grew more and more powerful. The ripped tendons didn't even seem to affect him as he almost casually picked himself up. He left his weapon behind, choosing instead to rely on his powerful arms. The muscles underneath the armor were impressive and it seemed to grow even larger as my focus narrowed into a tunnel.

We were both poised to attack. I held the tip of my spear in front of me and let the blood on the shorter blade drip against the wood below. Kaun momentarily flexed his arms before he presented a narrow profile and moved his damaged shoulder out of my reach. Both of his fists were raised.

This time, I did the unexpected and made a small charge. I feigned a high stab but dropped myself at the last moment to slide my sandals against the smooth and bloodied surface. The lack of friction aided my slide as my legs smeared the wooden planks like a calligraphy brush. My forward motion was powerful enough that when my foot hit his armored shin, the edges dug deep into his flesh. He made another gasp of pain and hopped on his good leg while I slid back away from his range.

I took advantage of his distraction by making a series of lunges and slashes. He recovered himself fast enough to dodge all my attacks and hopped backwards to retrieve his spear. He sweated heavily and his shoulder kept seeping out blood. His metal-scaled armor was smeared with it.

Still, he looked formidable and exuded a powerful aura. I charged again, this time making a thrust at his other shoulder. He managed to swat aside my attack with ease with his own weapon and as I became overbalanced, backhanded my face. I spluttered blood as my head grew disoriented once more.

"Nothing will come in the way of my destiny! It is my purpose to fight for a sovereign Han, a free Han!"

As he spoke, he made a savage horizontal swing. The moon blade connected with my upper armguard, splitting the plates, but I managed to roll with the force to avoid it digging any further. My left arm stung from the bruising impact though.

We circled around. Kaun was more wounded than I, but the blows to my head were having an effect on me. My breathing was hazed, as if I had to breathe through an extremely thick filter. I looked around to see the progress of our battle. The orange sky cast a savage glow onto all of us while screams filled the air around us.

Most of the screams were from the Han. Some were final words, others sounded like they were begging for their mothers but most of them were desperate war cries. It was impossible to determine the exact balance of the battle but it was obvious that the attackers held the advantage. Most of the Han were blissfully asleep a mere moment ago. They didn't wear any armor and their weapons were stored away in racks. The ones that weren't immediately slaughtered had done an admirable job of retrieving their spears. Some even managed to get their hands on some bows and arrows but in the thick of fighting, they were just as liable of hitting their own comrades.

Many desperate Han clung to their sleeping clothes as they hastened to help their beleaguered comrades. The initial surprise was over by now and most of the Han that could have been killed easily were already dead, while the others organized themselves and put up unified fronts. Despite the overwhelming advantage held by the Arrow Catchers and the Kaihonese ambushers, the Han's numerical superiority left them a large enough buffer. They still had enough men left to match their ambushers on equal footing. The battle was pitched but slow-paced, both sides favoring caution and defensive tactics.

Kaun's neck partner, Leng Shu, was still heavily involved in a duel against General Shao's son. They both sported minor wounds. Their attacks mirrored each other as they were both equally matched in speed and agility. Their ferocious moves caused the other to constantly compensate by moving in turn. They jumped and spun in midair. They somersaulted and pushed against vertical surfaces. It was a deadly dance with a murderous pace as Leng Shu tried to keep Shao's sword out of range with his spear. It looked like he was failing though. The swifter and more agile Shao Zhi always found a way to get around Leng Shu's defenses. I realized why when Shao pulled Leng Shu's neck chain towards him. The chains were limiting his mobility.

I took a short glance behind me. Saiji was still circling the older Shao. Both his armguards were ripped apart and the flesh underneath held numerous cuts. General Shao on the other hand was only breathing heavily. They both charged each other at the same time and a rapid series of clangs and grunts could be heard. They both moved with strength and speed as well as technique to overpower each other. Saiji fought like a rock, tough and unyielding. He mainly defended himself by blocking Shao's sword attacks with incredible skill and mastery over his spear. It was mainly a defensive stance that minimized the influence of his neck chain. Like Leng Shu, his options were limited and his wounds showed the consequences.

Duels were notoriously unpredictable but it seemed that both Leng Shu and Saiji were slowly being whittled away as they were chained down. Everything depended on my fight. If I could manage to defeat Kaun, I would be in a position to assist either Saiji or Leng Shu and help win their fights. However, If Kaun managed to defeat me, then he would be in a position to save both Shao's, freeing them up to rally the defenders and repel the attack. It would be a deathblow to the Arrow Catchers and the Kaihonese.

"Kaun… there is no purpose in this. You are misguided. I'm just—"

"YOUR LIES ARE NOTHING TO ME!"

With a broken cry, he rapidly closed the distance. His form seemed to blur in the wind as he cut through the meager air. He spun himself around to add strength to his downwards chop. I barely managed to avoid the burning white blade of his spear. Again, it broke through the wood like a cannon ball. As the pieces still spread out, I pivoted back and swung my spear horizontally.

Surprisingly, Kaun didn't bother to dodge or block my attack. The narrow blade was travelling straight towards his bulging left arm, weakened from the wound on the shoulder. It cut straight between the plates and I expected to cut deep into his muscles. Instead, I encountered an impervious wall of existence. My weapon clanged against its surface as if it hit a mountain. It was impossible! My entire weight, meager as it was, was behind the swing. There was no way his arm could repel my blade.

Kaun simply grinned though and grabbed the shaft with both of his hands. Before I could let go, he pulled me towards him and grabbed the chain close to my neck. He punched my face hard, dazing my head. I barely managed to stay coherent as I tried to block his next punch with my forearm. The metal plate bent and transferred the force against my bone, almost breaking it from the strain.

It bought me some time though and before I really knew what was going on, I acted blindly. My legs found their footing and with a mighty push to the wooden platform, I jumped. I didn't leap high enough to vaunt over him but my arms managed to grab his thick neck and used it as leverage to travel over him. My head swirled as I rolled against Kaun's back and landed on my knees. Before he could do anything, I grabbed my chain and rapidly wrapped it around his neck again and pulled hard.

Somehow, the sudden pressure against his neck made him fall, taking me down with him. I got back up on my knees and straddled his back to keep him down. I pulled harder on my chain and Kaun was obviously gasping. His mighty elbows hit my sides but his powerful blows were blunted by my armor. Both my arms were pulling the chain and I tried to cut off his breath. Kaun feebly trembled for a moment but somehow managed to gather strength. I could feel the heat as his body tensed up.

With a shattering cry despite the pressure on his neck, he punched his right arm straight into the wooden surface, breaking it. He managed to grab a loose plank and ripped it off from the other planks. He swung it back hard, hitting my temple and stunning me. With a powerful push he managed to get himself upright. I hung from the chain against his neck. He slammed the plank against me again, on my arm and my chest, before it broke apart from the impact. Somehow, he managed to grab the top of my head with his giant hand and slammed me against the surface, cracking it.

He unwound the chain around his neck before proceeding to choke the life out of me with his gloved hands. The pain was intense but the lack of air only fueled my burning lungs into collapse. Desperately I tried to pry his fingers or punch at him weakly. Nothing was working. His eyes burned with the anticipation of victory. He relished my fear and laughed cruelly at me. As my strength began to fade little by little, I extended both of my arms, hoping to grab a weapon.

My right arm eventually picked up something long and sharp. Without thinking, I stabbed it in the thick muscles of his neck. It pierced straight through and a torrent of blood fell straight onto my face. The sticky fluid blinded me and left an awful taste in my mouth.

Kaun's eyes were full of surprise. His mangled throat struggled to make a sound. "Hh.w..rg.. h-how?"

I let go of the object I had used to stab my opponent's neck. A familiar clan symbol adorned the hilt of the short blade. It was Kaoru's wakizashi. I turned my head towards the cushions. There, amidst the splendid bowl of fruits, a delicate figure was hiding. For the first time since the duel against Ryougaku she met my eyes.

A connection ran through me. She was a flower surrounded by pools of blood. Her black armored body symbolized the taint of war. She broke contact immediately, but the emotions lingered. There was fear, yes. But there was also a softer look, a look of… caring. I smiled. The snow was tempering the fire.

I stared at the newborn dawn crowning her head and thought. The sand choked wind was flickering at my wounds and my eyes. It was dry, so very dry. Even the blood in my lips didn't help.

I touched the cracked wood beneath me. Its surface was firm and smooth. The ebony black material calmed me and rejuvenated me. To have a solid surface beneath me was a luxury I had not enjoyed for a very long time. It was a pity then that I could not lay there forever. There was still a battle to be won.

As I spat out the blood, I crawled away from my wounded opponent towards a nearby spear. It was Kaun's guandao. With a trembling hand, I grabbed it from the base, just behind the long blade. I turned around and jumped on Kaun's prone body.

His eyes lost all of the bloodlust that engulfed them just moments earlier. His mouth opened and closed with gurgling sounds, perhaps begging me to spare him. I ignored his silent plea and dug the machete-like spear blade against the side of his neck. With both of my arms, I cut slowly through the muscles and tendons. When the blade reached the spine, I continued to cut through. Kaun did everything to prevent his death but his powerful arms simply flapped uselessly. His eyes betrayed utter fear as he was powerless to stop me. Massive amounts of blood spurted and leaked from the widening cut. Even after I had dug the blade in deep enough to kill, I continued to push the blade further towards the other side.

Kaun of the Earthspire. He loved his country to the end. The least I could do was giving him a warrior's death. His life would end soon. It was a waste. If only he was loyal and understanding enough to Leng Shu. If only he understood my words. But he didn't. We were both forced to fight each other, and for what, Kaihon's dominion over Han? It was an unjust war, I knew. Kaun simply felt the need to fight against the injustice. That made it worse, actually. He fought for what was right, and that made him my opponent.

I was fighting for the wrong side. But it was the only way to survive. What I had promised to Leng Shu was not a lie. It was no use to throw away lives against the Kaihonese war machine. The Han remnants were scattered in the furthest reaches of the deserts bordering the once mighty Han Empire. For all intents and purposes, they were already defeated. Only the vast stretches of land prevented the Kaihonese from mopping them all up at once.

The Han could only hope to continue to fight from within. They would change Kaihon with their ways, and intermingle with the people. It would take a long time, longer than Leng Shu would have liked, but I could definitely see a time when Kaihon and Han would become one and the same. It was inevitable, despite the racial ideas of these people.

To tear off his head in this manner and expose the flesh underneath was a brutal death. I couldn't stop. There was no other way to insure he was dead. For all his strength and all his accomplishments, I still managed to defeat him. Even when he dashed with unnatural speed and swung his arms with otherworldly strength he couldn't kill me. Whether it was skill or luck, I didn't want to risk being exposed to another unnatural ability.

Eventually, his head came off. I had won. I took a small moment to regain my breath. My entire body was aching, especially my head. Nevertheless, it didn't take long before a massive sense of relief and exhilaration waved over my body, numbing the pain and clearing my head. The constant adrenaline and excitement pumped my lust for battle even further.

I knew the battle was far from over. The Han were fighting it out against the Kaihonese, while the Arrow Catchers wrecked havoc in other parts of the camp. I looked at Leng Shu, whose eyes were in tears but fought with much more zeal than before now that his neck chain was free.

Saiji's fight however went badly. General Shao was much more skilled and experienced, his sword presenting more opportunities. They charged themselves into the fight once more. Saiji was desperately parrying Shao's lightning-speed blows but every single impact jarred Saiji's senses. Eventually Shao managed to cut savagely into Saiji's left arm, deepening the wound he managed to open earlier. Saiji fell back with a loud gasp of pain and lost his grip on his weapon.

For the first time in my life, Saiji's eyes showed fear and desperation. As the general moved to finish him off once and for all, I acted. Instead of running towards him and trying to strike his back, I ran backwards and let the chain spring tight. Shao surprisingly was hit in the crotch, but it barely affected him since an iron scale protected it. I kept running, this time sideways to entangle his legs. He jumped away before it could, though.

We squared off and faced each other in a circle. Saiji lay useless on the ground, working hard to wrap up his wound. I needed to buy him time but keeping the experienced warrior occupied was extremely difficult, especially since a large part of my strength was sapped in my duel against Kaun. I looked around the camp and saw the Kaihonese causing widespread havoc. The Han who survived the initial surprise were forming into defensive clumps. Still, only a few were on even footing with their opponents, the Kaihonese ambushers massed and overpowered many defenders.

Saiji was still in the process of bandaging himself up. The massive leaks weren't helping him much at all. Kaoru was cowering in the corner of the platform, holding out her wakizashi in front of her with shaking arms. Leng Shu was holding off Shao Zhi and some of the general's guards who had fought their way to the wooden platform.

I gazed back at Shao Fai. It seemed I would be on my own for the moment. The general's form was splendid. His breath was hardly ragged, unlike mine, and his stance told me that he was poised to charge straight at me. He didn't bother to hide his intentions.

"You… what are you doing…?"

My face grew grim but I didn't answer. I was fully focused on the impending charge. And he came. His legs seemed to blur as he leaned forwards into the wind. He closed the distance between us within a second, faster than I had ever seen before. One second he was comfortably far away, the next he was already at my face. In pure panic I swung my spear as a two-handed sword, hoping the massive impact would jar him off.

CLANG!

His blade met mine in a resounding blow and a million sparks flew from the impact. The amazing brightness momentarily took away my sight and before I knew it, the general's heavy body collided with my own, bringing us both down. He didn't waste a moment and grabbed my neck with his gauntlets. He squeezed with might, digging his armored fingertips into my flesh. His heavy breath still smelled fresh of fruit, but the stink of meat hid underneath it. I choked from the pain and lack of air, and I feebly punched his head to get him off me. He didn't budge at all, he just stared murderously into my eyes.

Desperation fueled my actions as I made a savage claw at his eye. I hit his right eyeball and he howled backwards in pain. I quickly threw him off me and retrieved my spear. Still half on the ground, I swung my entire body and slammed the lengthy weapon downwards, hoping to cut off a limb. Instead, he absorbed the entire blow with his armored forearm. I could feel the metal plate bend from the strike and sink in the general's flesh. Already hurt from his eye, he howled even more from the impact.

"You little kid… kill you now!"

With reckless abandon, he jumped straight at me, hoping to knock me back against the ground. My fighting spirit flared even more and without thinking, I kicked from the ground and pushed with my knees. It all happened in a second but it felt like it took much longer. The springing motion aided my legs as I pushed from the ground. As General Shao lunged at me with both arms ready to grapple, my feet left the ground. I started rolling forwards in the air as I kept travelling upwards. Shao looked surprised as I went right over him. I was already upside down when I pushed the butt end of my spear down against his back. It hit his shoulder hard and might have cracked it. I pushed off against his body and landed safely.

Shao fell onto the ground in pain, hitting the dirt with his teeth and causing a spray of blood to fountain from his mouth. Though heavily hurt, he still managed to recover and dodge my finishing move. He retrieved his sword and managed to recover his balance. His left arm was sagging from his shoulder wound, while his mouth was dripping steadily as his upper jaw was hurt.

"Kaihon no right invading my homeland. My honorable parents, my wife, my daughter, taken away from you FILTHY dogs. Must all die NOW!" With that, he screamed senselessly and charged again.

This time he didn't storm with inhuman speed but it was still fast enough to catch me off guard. I jumped to the left and he made a powerful chop. I swung my spear in an upwards diagonal motion with all my strength but he parried it away. I made another strike but it CLANGED! again. I stabbed deep but before it could reach his stomach, he chopped savagely against the shaft, almost decapitating the blade from my spear.

I momentarily lost control but I pushed down with all my weight and managed to hook his sword arm. My L-shaped blade managed to catch his elbow and with a brutal pull, I tore off his entire forearm. I could feel the blade digging in to his flesh and ripping through his bones. He fell backwards, his stump spraying a massive amount of blood that squirted against my armor.

Before I could do anything else, he surprisingly caught my feet with his leg and made me trip. I hastily pushed the other end of my spear against the ground behind me, stopping my fall. When I finally recovered, I was met with a powerful, upwards stroke that hit the right side of my chest. The damaged armor didn't protect me now as the sharp blade dug deep and ripped upwards, cutting a large amount of skin and flesh. I screamed in total pain and I lost all sense of balance. My entire right side was almost useless now and I held the spear solely with my left hand.

General Shao didn't hesitate for a moment and swung his sword back down against my skull. I deflected it sloppily by pushing my spear straight up, letting the heavy blade dig deep into the shaft. As he tried to snap my spear, I made a powerful kick against his shin, only to be met by his metal shin guard. My toes were in pain but I quickly tried to hook his other leg and pull it forwards. He lost his balance, giving me a small moment of reprieve. I quickly stabbed the sharp end of my spear down, hoping to impale his exposed neck.

Instead, he managed to catch my weapon between the joint of the two spear blades with his sword and pushed me backwards with surprising strength. He jumped forwards and made quick slash, hitting my exposed leg. My body exploded in pain yet again and the general took advantage of it by swinging his weapon towards my neck. With just mere moments from death, I made a desperate move and spun my half-broken spear around with almost impossible dexterity. I leaned forward taking the blade against my chest, letting it cut and smash against my ribs. Before the pain engulfed my every sense, I leaned my shoulder against the shaft of my spear.

As I fell forward against his body, the hook blade cut deeply in his shoulder and I pushed my entire weight upon it as I fell down. Before the oaken shaft finally snapped, I managed to dig the blade deep into his flesh. As I fell face first against the dirt, I swung my arm to catch his wounded arm. I grasped it tightly and pulled it down as I fell. It stretched and finally ripped from his shoulder. Gore and blood splattered against my back as I was finally down.

My chest bled profusely and pulsed in gripping pain. I struggled to move my head. I could barely see Saiji finishing off the armless general. He held the cut-off head for all to see. A mighty cheer rose from around as the Kaihonese and Arrow Catchers rejoiced in their victory. I shifted my head again to see what was happening around me. A significant number of defenders were already dead, and the rest had finally dropped their weapons and surrendered at the sight of their dead leader. I could see some of the lifeless bodies of my own men though and there was no telling how much I lost.

A huge cry went out and I looked to the left. Shao Zhi was defiantly yelling in Han and a large cheer from the remaining Han defenders answered his words.

Instead of losing heart, the defenders seemed to become more emboldened as they became more desperate. We had to break their entire fighting spirit before they took too many of our men down with them.

Blood pumped my veins, which kept leaking from my chest. My hazy and violence-filled mind ignored the pain as I pulled General Shao's sword from between my ribs. Saiji hurried over me and ripped off the remains of my armor. He ripped a long piece from a vest taken from Shao's lifeless body. I waited patiently as he wrapped it roughly round my chest. At least the blood wouldn't leak anymore.

I struggled to stand up but Saiji pushed me down. My hand snapped away his and my pointed glare made him pause. I climbed up from his solid body and looked over the battle. Leng Shu and Shao Zhi were both tired and wounded from numerous cuts, but with the help of the elite guards Leng Shu was being pressed.

The others were faring better. Rot Tooth could barely stand, let alone walk, but he held back the desperate Han with a discarded Han sword. To the north, the Kaihonese were slowly pushing the Han back from their fallback positions. Though the Han defenders seemed to be able to fend off against superior numbers, Captain Fuku bravely led charges into the weak points of the flimsy battlements.

Blindingly I charged into the fray. A tall and strong helmeted warrior turned to face me with his sword. With General Shao's own weapon, I parried his hasty slash and spun my body around to devastate his torso. My opponent retreated just in time and I was dangerously overbalanced. When the young but rough-faced Han jumped forth to chop off my arm, I extended my leg and kicked his stomach. He made a small 'oomph' as he travelled backwards. I spared no moment and jumped with him to dig my blade deep in his shoulder, wrecking his right arm.

The Han screamed in pain but punched me with a powerful hook with his other arm. Before he could pick up his weapon, I brought up my knee to his exposed face and a large spray of blood splattered my neck. When his face came back up, his nose was obviously broken. Distracted by the pain, he didn't notice my attack and had no time left to dodge it. With a two-handed swing I dug deeply in his neck, just below his helmet. It went easier this time. One moment his head was attached to his body, the next it was travelling away in a spin.

The rest fought with skill and tenacity but they were no match to Saiji's solid strength and technique and my savage, instinctive prowess. It took time but eventually only Shao Zhi was left. By that time, the many wounds I had sustained took the best of me and I collapsed. Saiji and Leng Shu both fought the younger Shao, who was putting up an exhausting fight. However great his confidence was, he was no match to two skilled warriors.

Leng Shu held his spear against the neck of Shao Zhi, who was kneeling in defeat. The others … Souma screamed something and pointed at me, but Saiji already reached me. He turned me over and laid me on my back. He grabbed the sword that was still inside my chest and threw it away. As the blinding rays of dawn flooded my sensitive eyes, I could see his lips open and close. There was no sound though. Or was it just me? I lay there as a lifeless body. Everything grew white as the pain began to fade away into numbness.

As more men arrived to start working on my bleeding chest and bruised head, I just hoped that I would still be alive when I woke up once more.

* * *

The following days passed by hazily. There were times where it seemed I was waking up. Most of the times, Saiji was there besides me, hastily drawing a cup of water and forcing me to gulp it down before I passed away. Sometimes though, I was met with nobody, and my feeble questions went unanswered. Sometimes there were others, such as Kaemon, who simply stared at me as I stared back at him in a clueless manner.

There was no indication how much time had passed or how long I was sound asleep. I was inside a huge and comfortable tent, perhaps the same one General Shao had slept in. I could vaguely collect my thoughts sometimes and concluded that we were still in the west camp. The tent remained closed though and although there was a multitude of sounds, I could never strain to hear what those sounds were. Were the men practicing? Eating? Sleeping? I had no idea. I was dying from curiosity.

In the latter days, I grew a little more coherent. Saiji told me what was happening and how the men were coping, but somehow I forgot everything as soon as I drifted back to sleep. Souma personally fed me spoons of something warm and sticky. It made me drowsy, but also dulled the massive pains from my chest.

One thing I noticed was that nobody wore the neck chains anymore. The absence was staggering. For the first time, my shoulders were at ease. But it also meant that the reassuring presence of Saiji was missing. There were many times that cried for his name whenever I woke up.

I developed a fever after a time. My face was constantly burning and my entire body was hot. Someone regularly cleaned my body. I was stripped of all my clothes and sponged. I didn't really know who it was who did all the cleaning. Was it Souma? Or Kenji? It was hard to figure out the shape as they kept drugging me back to sleep.

When I woke up yet again, I knew something had changed. I was out in the open on the raised platform. Someone had carried me in a stretcher and placed me on a comfortable rug. My head was resting blissfully on one of the large cushions. All around me, the camp was filled with men. Kaihonese, I realized, as I recognized their distinct black wooden armor and spotted hundreds of white banners.

Straight in front of me was a multitude of men. The head figure seemed to wear a kimono. I strained to focus my eyes, but all I could notice was the strength and power he exuded. It was as if he was a living sun. So powerful did he seem that everyone else drew to him as a moth draws to a flame. His magnificence was almost physically palpable.

He stretched out an arm, and an armored soldier stepped up in front of the figure and knelt. I recognized him. It was Captain Tsuku. My ears strained to hear his words but he was speaking too soft for me to comprehend.

The powerful figure's voice however boomed forcefully however. "For your loyal service and years of dedication, as well as excellence in bravery and battle, I grant you, Lord Tsuku Junichi, the rank of commander. I will also accept your offer to become my vassal. Clan Tsuku shall henceforth serve clan Nobukata, for as long its Samurai serve in my army with distinction. You may rise, Lord Commander Tsuku."

Tsuku rose but kept his head down in respect to his superior. The figure walked towards me in a slow but measured pace. Each of his steps seemed to echo against the wooden planks beneath. He finally stopped besides my prone form.

"So this is the one who has made it all possible. So young."

Tsuku approached behind him and commented, "He is very………., is he not?"

The powerful bearded man nodded. "I was handling so many things and talked with so many prospective Arrow Catchers that I didn't notice it until now. What splendor… or horror." He shook his head. "The potential… were it not for my promising sons, I would have adopted him myself."

"You are very gracious, my Lord." Tsuku complimented. "Perhaps you can use him still. He is loyal to Kaihon."

The man smiled wryly. "I have heard. Such skill. The Arrow Catchers are completely devoted to him, you know?"

Tsuku nodded. "They even insist on calling him 'Lord Ikari', even though there is no proof he even comes from a distinguished clan."

"He did not style himself as a Lord when he negotiated with me." Tsuku replied.

The figured looked at Tsuku. "I would have done the same if I were in his place."

He looked somewhere far away and continued, "But his single greatest achievement, besides taking leadership and forming an effective plan, must be convincing the Han Arrow Catchers to fight with him."

Tsuku nodded again and commented, "Yes, the Red Han they call themselves now. None of our men are used to them. It is almost unbelievable that they are so devoted to this young man that they would fight against their former brethren."

The man leaned closer and grasped my chin. His powerful flaming eyes bore straight at me and I could feel an otherworldly sensation _brush_ against me ever so lightly. Was it the medicine or the delusion that caused the sensation? I didn't know.

He spoke. "I am Lord General Nobukata. I command all the forces of Kai in Han. Are you awake?"

I weakly tried to nod, sluggish and confused as I was.

Nobukata continued. "You and your men have done great feats and fought loyally for Kai. As a generous man, it is appropriate I reward such actions."

He leaned in closer until his breath brushed against my cheeks. "How would you feel if I grant you and your men freedom? That is what you wish, is it not?"

He smiled shrewdly. "But I do not wish to lose such a talented young man. Good officers are rare, you see?"

He frowned briefly, and muttered the name Oyamada.

I opened my mouth to say something, anything, but the words didn't come out due to both my dry mouth and my hesitation. I dreaded being set free. I knew nothing of this world. Fighting was all I lived for. This world was so foreign, so brutal, that I never dared to take a step of my own. Freedom was the last thing I wanted.

Lord Tsuku bent over and whispered something in Nobukata's ear, who eventually nodded.

The Lord General smiled again and spoke, "How about this? You and your men will cease to be Arrow Catchers. Instead, you will all serve as an infantry company under my army, for a duration of ten years. If by then you have continued to serve me loyally, I will grant you and your men freedom."

I stared at him with vague surprise. Was he actually offering to let loose our chains? Never have I heard that Arrow Catchers could earn their freedom. The only fate that was left to them was death in battle. This was… different.

"If you have served me with admirable dedication," Nobukata continued on, "Then I will bring you forth to the Daimyo of Kai and recommend him to elevate you to the noble status of Samurai. Whatever the legal status of your clan or its rumored history in the north of Kaihon is, your family name will become once more a beacon of pride and prowess."

He smiled in a fatherly way this time. "A beginning clan such as yours will need a land to rule. Perhaps some forests in Kai could be cleared to create patches of farms. Or would you rather claim a large piece of territory in Han instead? It is yours to choose."

Without even asking for my opinion, he finished his conversation. "I will prepare the paperwork and announce it in the morning. I am sure the Arrow Catchers will have much to celebrate."

Lord Nobukata finally stood up and walked away. A procession of retainers and guards followed in his wake.

Captain Tsuku remained, however and when nobody was around, he leaned towards my ear. His whispers were disconcerting. "You have done me a great service by allowing myself and my clan to wrench free from the choking grasp of clan Oyamada. Lord Commander Oyamada is a disgrace and would have been the end of me, were it not for you. I thank you with all my sincerity."

He put a palm against the bandages on my chest. The pressure was mildly uncomfortable. "I have not forgotten, however."

He pushed harder, eliciting small gasps of pain from my dazed mind. "I will squeeze the truth out of you, eventually."

The pressure eventually subsided as Tsuku finally retracted his hand. "But for now, you may enjoy your little achievement, 'Captain Ikari'."

And with that, I was left alone to stare at the bright blue sky.

* * *

**Author's Notes: **I've been working on a Naruto fic, but that doesn't mean I haven't forgotten this one. My apologies for dumping all this wallop to you readers, but there were good reasons why it needed to be done this way. In some way, it represents a closure. In another way, it's the final chapter before something else starts.

If you enjoyed this fic so far, please leave a review behind to let me know what you think about this chapter and the fic so far. If you haven't enjoyed this fic, then I'd be happy to hear why you don't. All comments and opinions are welcome, even negative ones or outright flames. So don't hesitate to review my fic or my partner's fic!


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